The Product Brief is the start of the fashion journey describing the Categories of clothing, Target audience, Target market, the launch season,the number of styles and the target price point of the collection, giving you all the basic knowlege to start researching the collection.
The Research analysis starts with the key trends that will fit the companies brand identity. Looking into all relavent fashion shows which show the future in combination of whats in the stores at that time. Breaking down the research into more focused chunks like what are the key garments? key silhouette? focus colours for the season? and seasonal styling looks for marketing and fashion shows.
Seasonal inspiration is building a creative story that combines with the trend analysis research. My inspiration normally comes from movies, documentaries, architexture, music, muscicians, artists what ever inspires me for that collection and has a connection to the clothing.This is used to inspire the coompany, designers and will also be used in marketing the collection.
The next stage is an integral part of building a collection and can sometimes be underestimated in how import the process is, to building a succesful collection. I spend a lot of time choosing colours that give a fresh approach to the collection but can also elivated the collection to another level.
The range plan is normally built from looking at previous sales from a buying manager. I will sit down and show from a design focus what is important for the season and we adjust the range plan so the company and i are happy with the balance of the collection.
The Brand brief is a digital mood board presentation. I worked with big companies and had to present to a lot of people,so It was easier to build up a brand brief using Adobe illustrator and sometimes transfering the presentation to powerpoint to sync it with music. The brand brief shows inspiraton images for key garments, colours, prints and in combination with the seasonal story that inspires the whole collection. Its used to inspire the designers the buyers and steakholders show the direction of the collection. The story is also used in marketing for add campaigns and fashion shows to explain the direction of the collection.
The next stage in the Design Process is to sit with the Product Designers and go through the garment inspiration boards and the trends. I will explain what is
important for the collection ie colours, silhouette ,fabrics key garments. I go through the styles i need to be in the
collection to give the collection the seasonal directional look. My job is to Keepthem with-in the boundries of
the collection, while still giving them creative freedom to build the collection and i take care of the big picture.
The Product Designers would go away and start to research there specific product groups and keep in mind the seasonal inspiration, they would start by designing the key garments i asked for then start to design new the rest of there products.They started to build up fabrics they liked and colour and print ideas. I would have meetings every 2-3 days to make sure they kept in line with the collection inspiration, making sure i kept the red thread through all product groups.
Once we start to add fabrics and colour options to the boards.I start to research more specific the graphic aspect of the collection.Focusing on All over Prints and Placment Prints for garments and trims.I build the ideas from the brand brief research and build a graphic story. Then I sit with a graphic designer to build up ideas. Once the ideas are finished. I then put the prints on specific garments and get alternative colourways made for styles. Then put all artworks up on the collection boards.
One of the last processes is going through the whole collection before handing over to the buyers. The first stage is to work all the way through the whole collection with the designers go through every garment and every detail with the whole team. This is when i have to be tough and take styles away that dont work for the collection and change colours that dont work on certain garments. At this stage i count all colours to make sure we have enough commercial colours and the right balance of fashion colours. This meeting is exhausting but the more thorough i am here means less mistakes later.
The designers go away and update all sketchesso they are ready for the handover to the buyers. I would also make them sketch garment overviews for each product group showing colour options and graphics. all this works is done on Adobe illustrator, and will be put up on black boards. I would then meet with the steakholders in the company and present the whole collection and ideas thoroughly from focus garments, fashion foerward garments, the silhouette, prints, colours and finally styling. Still making sure we are covering the needs of our customer from basics to high fashion. Once approved its time for the handover.
One of the last stages was to sit down with each product designer and buyer and we would go through the collection we had designed. It was important for me to be there as sometimes the buyers had othere ideas and tried to repeat old styles and my job was to pre strike this by explaining the big picture and what garments where going to take over from the style .So had to be clear that this was a company focus so the brand would keep moving in the right direction.
The Product designers would sit with buyers once we had went through all products and then the buyer would send out techpacks with sketches, patterns, fabric choices,trims, colour options and print art works for garments, to all the choosen manufactures to start the samples for collections.
The Product designers would sit with buyers once we had went through all products and with the buyer would send out techpacks with sketches, patterns, fabric choices,trims, colour options and print art works for garments, to all manufactures to start the samples for collections.
The sales collection is used at the seasonal sales conference,its a full collection used to merchandise an in house store and sell in the collection to all world wide sales team. I would normally style 10-12 mannequins showing all the key looks and garments in the collection. It was also a chance to take any garments or colour options away before the presentation. I would present the digital brandBrief explaining all aspects of the trends and selling in the seasonal storyline.I would present the mannequins for key garments, colours, cool colour combinations and styling. Then i would take any questions that the sales team had to help them understand the focus of the collection and the story built up for marketing and sales purposes.
SKILLS
- Fashion Design
- Menswear Contemporary
- Menswear Tailoring
- Creative Direction
- Managment
- Trend analysis
- Textiles (innovative and luxury)
- Big picture thinking
- Thinking outside the box
- Fashion Styling
- Story telling
- Problem Solving
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
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Cover Letter
I have had a successful career in fashion design, focused on menswear tailoring and contemporary fashion for over 20 years. I was Head of menswear for Tiger of Sweden for 9 1/2 years and the last 6 years as a consultant Creative design manager for Bestseller group.
Due to covid hitting the fashion industry so hard and travel restrictions stopping me from traveling from Stockholm to Denmark, I got paid off and I am still looking for a new exciting opportunity.
I have a great eye for design which has been focused on Contemporary Menswear and tailoring for over 20 years. Colours are so important to a collection and I focus a lot on this especially new colour combinations that can lift the collection through styling outfits to a whole other level for fashion shows and marketing campaigns. My storytelling and presentation skills are a key part of my success in convincing people to trust and believe in what I say in an honest way.
I have high-level management skills and I am used to working under pressure for big companies. I am a team player and think it’s key to enjoying your work and creating a positive work environment will lead to better work and a happier motivated team. I have strong communication skills and enjoy voicing my opinions when need in a clear and confident way at any level of management. I am a natural problem solver that can focus on the smallest detail or the big picture.
I became interested in fashion in my late Teens, keeping up with designer fashion worn in the early Rave scene. I started to read magazines like Face and Sky magazine. In my early twenties, I started to read ID magazine which changed my perspective on fashion. I started to mix high fashion with second-hand clothing to get a more unique look. I sketched and designed things for my mum to sew up for me, at the time she was a sample machinist for Paul smith. From that day I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer.
When I started my fashion journey I loved Paul Smith’s quirky take on British tailoring, bringing the suit to a younger international fashion-conscious guy while still being globally commercial. I also loved the freedom and extremeness of Vivienne Westwood’s technically brilliant designed garments.
Alexander McQueen was one of Britain’s finest, his creative mind in a combination with his world-class tailoring skills was mind-blowing and my all-time favorite designer. I also love what Phoebephilo did more so with Celine, it was so fresh and inspiring conceptually, with amazing clean garments with cool details and a luxurious pearlized retail experience.
I learned a lot in a short time working through the recession with Tiger of Sweden, that it is extremely important to truly trust your instinct. We had just modernized the Menswear with a skinny fit and a more youthful approach to tailoring aimed at the international market. The selling dropped due to the recession.
Some of the company leaders wanted to go back but the CEO, Product Manager and I Focused on the big picture and continued to push the new concept over time it lead to Tiger breaking into the international market with the likes of Selfridges and also 4 fashion shows in London fashion week. At the time it was producing 56 % of Tiger of Sweden’s total turnover. So I learned to always trust my instincts even if it gets tough.
Working in Scandinavia has helped me to find my balance as a designer, with a strong grasp of the whole process of design from start to finish. The Scandinavian market is famous for a minimal look with key detailing innovative fabrics and a fashion-forward silhouette. This is the backbone of what I love to design, with a bit of quirky Britishness thrown into the mix.
Curriculum Vitae
Work history
Premium Black (Jack & Jones) Denmark, June 2016 – Aug 2020.
Design Director (Consultant) – Premium black label (Tailored semi dressed) segment high street).
- Product Responsible for all woven styles and jerseys and knits (all product groups).
- Work close with buyers for all product groups to build the collection by designing styles and choosing fabrics and colours.
- Coordinate with merchandisers for style, design, and colour look in retail stores.
- Hand-draw sketches for an assistant (who would make technical sketches and overviews).
- Continuously research Men’s fashion, innovative fabrics, and silhouettes.
- Draw technical sketches with details on freehand/Illustrator for production.
- Collaborate with print designs for placement prints and allover prints.
Tiger of Sweden – Stockholm, Aug 2007- April 2016.
Head of Menswear (Fashion Design Director) – Tiger of Sweden Black label (Tailored fashion premium segment).
- Responsible for the design direction of the Menswear department (Black label, tailored fashion).
- Constantly communicate with country managers to get constant info to design the perfect collection.
- Design responsible for the Suits, Blazers, Outerwear, Trousers, and shirts, creative control of Jersey and Knitwear.
- Collaborate with advertising dept and stylist for fashion shows and campaigns.
- Travel to Milan and Paris to meet suppliers to choose/develop material for all woven styles.
- Work closely with the CEO to make sure the company is going in the right direction.
- Responsible for the design direction of all materials for collection.
- Create seasonal trends and colour boards for the concept.
- Presentation of collection silhouette and trend to the company.
- Hand over technical sketches to pattern drafter and production.
- Create seasonal fashion trends and colour cards.
- Communicate the trends to the press.
- Design sketches in illustrator.
- Delegate design work to my assistant and other designers.
Hennes & Mauritz – Stockholm, Sept 2001 – Aug 2007.
Product Concept designer, Senior design assistant , Design assistant H&M Man (biggest Menswear department).
Product/Concept designer.
- Product Responsible for all woven styles and jerseys and knits (all product groups).
- Work close with buyers for all product groups to build the collection by designing styles and choosing fabrics and colours.
- Coordinate with merchandisers for style, design and colour look in retail stores.
- Hand-drawn sketches for an assistant (who makes technical sketches and overviews).
- Continuously research Men’s fashion, innovative fabrics, and silhouettes.
- Draw technical sketches with details on freehand/Illustrator for production.
- Collaborate with print designs for placement prints and allover prints.
Angels the Costumiers – London, Jan 1999 – Sept 2001.
Men´s Military and Tailoring Alterations.
- Involved in fitting men’s costumes for actors.
- Altered men’s costumes to fit actors’ measurements using industrial sewing machines.
- Specialized in military hand sewing epaulets and medals to uniforms.
- Repaired garments for film and theatre.
- Sometimes on the set of movies fix costumes for the actors.
Robert Dick, Bespoke Tailor – Glasgow, Duke street. Sept 1996 – July 1997.
Assistant bespoke tailor, placement fashion college.
- Taught basic tailoring techniques.
- Learned how to Baste stitch, amf, and general hand sewing skills.
- Assisted customers in choosing materials and styles of suits.
- Worked with Jack Huston to make a bespoke suit from scratch for my final year with traditional canvas.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
UX Design Institute / Glasgow Caledonian University. May 2021 – Nov 2021.
Professional Diploma in UX Design.
London College of Fashion. Sept 1997 – June 1998.
- 1st year BA (H) Costume Design and Make-up.
North Glasgow College. Sept 1995 – June 1997.
- Fashion Design Technology with Production and Retail.
- National certificate.
- Higher national certificate.
- Higher national diploma.
Curriculum Vitae
Achievements
- From a design perspective the journey with Tiger of Sweden from a successful Scandinavian brand to an international player.
- Best Menswear designer award from Cafe Magazine 2014.
- Best Menswear designer award from WGSN 2015.
- Working together with The Hives, Mando Diao, and Håkan Hellström, styling the bands for concerts within the collection or designing custom-made clothing for the band’s concerts.
- Designing for the Swedish royal family for both H.RH Prince Carl Philip and H.R.H Prince Daniel.
- Collaborating with London Cloth to design a Tartan inspired my family name tartan from Skye influenced by Scandinavian wildflowers, handwoven by London Cloth. The tartan I designed is now officially registered as a Tartan designed by me for Tiger of Sweden.
Ambitions
My ambition is to succeed at the highest level possible in my career within the fashion industry. Use the skills I learned while studying in combination with my 20 years of experience gained in the industry to continuously design collections that are innovative and relevant helping the companies I work for to grow in the right way. Just as important if not more so, is to enjoy my life and the journey as much as possible along the way with my wife and our two sons.
Skills
- Fashion Design
- Menswear Contemporary
- Menswear Tailoring
- Creative Direction
- Management
- Trend analysis
- Storytelling
- Textiles (innovative and luxury)
- Fashion Styling
- Colour Coordination
- Problem Solving
- Big picture thinking
- Thinking outside the box
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
References
I have references that can be provided if required.