Product Developer

• LOCATION: London, UK
• SALARY: Negotiable £35k+
• POSTED: 4 July 2024
• REF: 101781

Our Client, a Designer luxury brand is looking for an enthusiastic and passionate Product Developer to join their team and lead the development process across all categories of the collection.

As Product Developer, you will be collaborating with the design team, ensuring their concepts are represented for each collection. You will be required to supervise the product development process from the handover of the range plan through to submission of selling samples; ensuring styles are constructed cost effectively, meeting strict deadlines.

 A key part of the role includes liaising with manufacturers daily, ensuring requests and deliveries are met through the critical path.

Knowledge, skills and experience required

• Product Developer with relevant experience

• Expertise in developing multi product womenswear

• Ability to work both independently and part of a team and able to assist others when necessary

•  Methodical, analytical, and driven to make solutions

• Ability to work under pressure whilst having a calm approach

• Highly organised, good negotiator and influencer both within external & internal aspects of the business

• Strong communications skills with clear and professional approach

• Professional, dedicated, hardworking and committed person willing to invest long term

• Demonstrates taste level that aligns with the brand

• Experience of dealing with offshore suppliers

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment, ensuring critical path is honoured

• Experience within a luxury womenswear brand with fashion week experience preferred

• Highly organised in pre-planning and managing the materials library

• Experience of working in an atelier preferred

• Travel may be required

• Experience working with Zedonk

Responsibilities

• Work seasons in advance to drive innovation and develop / source fabrications prior to each season, working closely with design to capture their vision

•  Support the designers through developing seasonal collections from design concept through to prototypes

• Continually research raw materials and trims working with suppliers and vendors to build on the materials library

• Liaise with our factory base and suppliers ahead of each season for sourcing, ensuring lead times are discussed in advance and to confirm booking of sampling materials / trims

• Good knowledge of fabric and trim testing against testing requirements

• Taking responsibility for all fabric selections and approvals

• Working with the designers to deliver technical packs to manufacturers

• Attend initial and press fittings each season ensuring materials, trims and colours are confirmed with design and to liaise with the factory base on any potential changes

• Continually manage the range plan during the development stages as this evolves

• Communicate changes after each stage of fitting to the factory base in terms of fabrication and trims

• Awareness and management of key dates within the critical path for assigned categories across all fit stages

• Manage the handover to production – liaising with design and technical department i.e., lab dips approvals and ensuring materials are fit for purpose along with carrying out the approval of raw material submissions. This will be across the entire collection, every season

• Working closely with the design team, technical team & HK office on all seasonal and exclusive collections

• Supporting sales team with product information