Senior Knitwear Designer - SOSANDAR
(2019-05)
- Consistently designing best-selling product to elevate the knitwear range, introducing newness in shape and yarn whilst maintaining strong company handwriting.
- Implementing new sourcing processes to work with factories and suppliers more efficiently, increasing use of sustainable yarns in natural fibres, also efficient at consolidating key yarns to increase overall margin.
- Full autonomy of knitwear design product area to deliver focused monthly on trend ranges. Producing seasonal trend/catwalk analysis and key item reports by product area.
- Producing comprehensive technical design packs on Adobe Illustrator and having an exceptional hit rate on sampling.
- Working closely with buying and garment techs teams to develop high quality, aspirational garments with superior fit and finish ensuring that the customer is pivotal in all decision making from print/stitch/trims stitch and silhouette.
- Worked with merchandising to implement short- and long-term solutions for delivery critical path and quality issues. Extremely reactive to best sellers to ensure ranges included newness whilst also maximising on volume lines and working into best selling move ons.
- Since joining Sosandar knitwear sales have seen a huge increase with the knitwear product mix jumping from 6 to 23% of the product offering.
- Many knit samples have received great coverage from celebs and have been featured on their regional TV adverts and brochures.
- Sosandar have recently opened 6 high street flagship stores where the knitwear range is consistently the number 2 best selling product area which is a testament to the quality of the product.
Senior Knitwear Designer - Shop Direct (Very.co.uk)
(2013-11 - 2019-05)
I was employed on a permanent freelance basis for 6 years with Shop Direct as a Senior knitwear designer with full responsibility for design of all knitwear product for their own brand V by Very range.
- Responsible for full design and development of all knitwear product in line with the season's trends and brand customer profile over long lead and short lead time frames.
- Analysis of high street and catwalk trends.
- Collaborated closely with buying on strategy, presentation of trend stories and colour palettes for the forthcoming season.
- Range built with product buying and design teams to ensure all core product, commercial fashion and high fashion product was covered off per monthly drop.
- Attended weekly fit sessions and made regular international sourcing trips, attended trade shows and international comp shopping trips.
- The knitwear range was extremely successful and achieved growth season on season.
- Consistently achieved high volume best sellers and repeats. My knitwear product was regularly featured in national press TV commercials and look books and fashion press including Vogue.
- I also worked on hugely successful celebrity collaborations including Michelle Keegan.
Freelance Knitwear Designer - Shah Knit - North West
(2009-06 - 2017)
I worked in a freelance capacity for Shah Knit a knitwear manufacturer based in the North West for 8 years. Their key UK high street accounts who I designed trend led knitwear ranges for being Lipsy, Asos and River Island.
- I had a very successful working relationship with the knitwear buyer at Lipsy and we manufactured the majority of their UK knitwear. I consistently designed their bestsellers and drove the volume of their UK knitwear production.
Freelance Knitwear Designer - Shing Vai Knitwear - Hong Kong
(2004-11 - 2007-03)
Employed as a freelance knitwear designer working on ranges for the UK high street multiples.
Knitwear Designer - Visage
(2001 - 2004)
Employed as a Knitwear Designer, supplying the high street and department stores such as New Look, Pilot, Dunnes stores. Travel to Far East on regular basis.
Freelance Knitwear Designer - Miss Selfridge
(2001 - 2001)
Employed on a freelance basis working closely with the buyers on knitwear and jersey packages for A/W 2001 and S/S 2002.
- Supplying initial directional mood boards, sketches and full specifications.
Honey Clothing
(1998 - 2001)
Design Assistant - Top Shop / Top Man - UK
Employed in the UK head office as part of an industrial placement year.
- Duties included design assistance, collating mood boards and trend information
