Design Manager (Childrens Wear)

Role: Design Manager (Kidswear)

• Competitive salary
• Permanent – Full time
• Monday to Friday – 37.5 hours per week
• Hybrid model – 3 days in the office
• Based in London – White City, West London relocating to Camden Town in August

We are now recruiting for an experienced and passionate Design Manager within our Kidswear team based in London.

About the Company:

We are LF Fashion, part of Li & Fung, a world leader in the design, development, and sourcing of consumer goods. Li & Fung has more than 115 years of supply chain expertise, covering everything from product design and production management to quality control and shipping. We are a global group encompassing many sectors of the retail market but what makes us unique is that we work As One.

The Role:

LF Fashion are looking for an experienced Design Manager (Kidswear) to manage the design team and ensure they are designing high street fashion. Working closely with the team you will be involved in all aspects of the business from initial concept to finished product and ensure we are providing high quality latest fashion to our customers.

To generate sales and ensure the sales are fulfilled and deliver to the customer as per each contract. To build and maintain excellent relationships with all customers.

#lffashion

Key areas of responsibility include: 

• Manage and lead the design team to ensure we are providing the best service for all customers.
• Delegating work where necessary and reviewing that work when it has been completed.
• Research trends, this includes producing trend boards and creating innovative ideas and designs and putting them into a context that the rest of the team and the client/customer can understand.
• To attend fashion shows and go on shopping trips in the UK and abroad to look at emerging trends and to buy samples to work from
• Managing a budget and analysing that budget regularly to ensure it remains tenable.
• To translate ideas into commercial design for the mass market
• Create ready to buy showrooms from a centralised view as well and working on unique customer requests and direction!
• Working closely with Account Mangers to deliver strategy and meet timelines.
• Liaising with customers and suppliers to develop new ranges. This will include attending sales meetings with customers and trips to the Far East to work with suppliers.
• To look at samples with other members of the team and make amendments to improve the design before going into production.
• Develop design team – Providing support and training, also motivating them to achieve their goals and yours

• Managing all meetings from a customer perspective, able to host and co-ordinate these meetings.
• Collaborating with your own team and with other departments to achieve design goals.

Key Skills / Experiences

• The successful applicant will have 5+  Design Manager (Kidswear) experience within a fashion retailer.
• Target driven with a passion for fashion and the confidence to grow and develop.
• Knowledge of multi production construction and lead times
• Confidently present to the team and customers
• Ability to push boundaries and adapt to improve product and service.
• Be able to undertake trend prediction.
• Commercial awareness
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to work as part of a team whilst also showing own initiative.
• Computer Literate with knowledge of freehand, illustrator, Photoshop
• Management skills
• Previous experience in creating own brand collaborations.
• Organised and efficient to keep up with demands of customer, ability to provide commercial and creative insights to different customers. 

About the Recruitment Process:

If this is a role you are interested in or if you believe this role could be a good match for you, we would love to hear from you.

The interview process will consist of two interviews:

• Initial interview with the Design Manager – Kidswear and a member of the HR Team
• Final interview with the Senior Vice President

Please note, we are not working with any recruitment agencies at this time.  As such we are not accepting any CV’s or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies.

#lffashion

If this sounds like you, Apply Now!

As an equal opportunity employer, we shall consider all applicants regardless of gender, age, religion, marital status, race, sexual orientation, disability, disease, pregnancy, or trade union and/or political affiliation, and disregard all factors deemed inappropriate by local law and the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.