Working at Stella McCartney is a truly rewarding experience. As a luxury fashion company with a strong ethical standpoint we are leaders and innovators in our industry.
Overview
The Senior Bags and Accessories Designer role works creatively with the Design Directors, contributing to the collection by executing the Creative Director's vision across various accessories lines. This role demands a proactive and experienced designer who can thrive in a fast-paced environment, contributing to and managing all stages of the design process while maintaining composure under pressure and demonstrating a strong understanding of design principles and materials. The role will strategically translate creative concepts into innovative designs aligned with brand aesthetics and market trends.
Location: London, Head Office
Type: 12 month fixed term contract
Your Mission:
Collaborate closely with the Collection Director to create and facilitate an achievable timeline for collection offerings in line with and managing budget for all bags and accessories collections.
Oversee the fabric and prototype archive, ensuring organisation and accessibility.
Manage all samples, prototypes, and corrections, ensuring timely delivery and clear communication to the product development team in Italy following each fitting and design meeting.
Manage a small team of Bags & Accessories Designers, providing guidance and support as needed.
Lead design and research efforts to develop innovative concepts and collections, staying ahead of market trends.
Conduct in-depth fabric, accessories, and materials research, including the development of exclusive materials with comprehensive technical specifications.
Create detailed technical sketches for design and metal components of bags and other accessories.
Coordinate communication effectively with the product development team in Italy, ensuring seamless collaboration.
Develop colour card proposals highlighting key combinations for each collection.
Manage fabric-to-sketch allocation, ensuring accurate material assignments.
Create high-quality renderings of accessories and bags for presentations and internal reviews.
Develop mock-ups of accessories and bags to visualise designs and construction.
Oversee prototype corrections, ensuring accuracy and adherence to design specifications.
Prepare and distribute design scans and specifications to the Product Manager.
Record detailed notes during fittings and follow-up presentations, ensuring accurate documentation.
Prepare materials and presentations for design meetings and concept reviews.
Develop product groupings with comprehensive materials and colour proposals.
Ensure adherence to collection deadlines, managing time and resources effectively.
Maintain the organisation of the accessories and bags fitting room, ensuring a productive workspace.
Your Talent:
At least 4 years’ demonstratable experience in a luxury fashion house working with accessories and/or bags with a sophisticated eye for research
A strong motivation to contribute to a dynamic and collective creation.
Understanding the Stella McCartney heritage, ethical values and brand DNA and therefore a confident interpreting the style of Stella McCartney and brand codes
Ability to create and facilitate appropriate timelines for design, with the ability to effectively manage changing priorities at short notice.
Affinity with the values of Stella McCartney, the brand identity and style of the accessories and bags collection
At least 2 years people management experience
Ability to work both independently and under direction
Proven ability to collaborate effectively, despite conflicting priorities
High level technical skills
Excellent hand drawing skills
Experience of CAD software, Adobe Suite and Photoshop
Strong communications skills, including proven ability to present to a wide range of stakeholders, with the ability to share information effectively and able to work confidently with cross function teams
Italian language skills are desirable
Able to effectively work in a team, with a positive and constructive attitude.
Knowledge of legal requirements for confidentiality and intellectual property
Reward
Our philosophy is to go beyond monetary return and consider ourselves responsible for your wellbeing, your family, your health, your time and the community.
Up to 50% discount on Stella McCartney products
Matched pension contribution up to 6%
Extensive private medical and critical illness insurance, as well as life assurance
Annual Health Screening
25 days annual leave (not including Bank Holidays) + 1 day of Birthday leave
Flexible working/core hours
Enhanced Maternity/paternity packages
Matched Give as You Earn charity scheme
Discounted gym and fitness memberships (Classpass)
Health cash plan
Physical and Mental Wellbeing Support Services
Employee referral bonus
Optional/ Paid Benefits: Season ticket loan, cycle to work and tech schemes, travel and dental insurance and much more.
We welcome people with disabilities and endeavour to make reasonable adjustments, if you do require such adjustments please let us know within 48 hours of your interview.
At Stella McCartney, we like to be bold. For us this means challenging ourselves and the wider industry in which we operate. As part of our commitments to inclusive fashion, we have an ambitious strategy to put diversity, equity and inclusion at the centre of everything we do. Our starting point is to create a workplace where different voices are respected, heard and empowered in equal measure regardless of factors such as culture and backgrounds, and to influence and disrupt fashion and other industries by providing opportunities for global diverse talent to shine.
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What We Do
Stella McCartney is a luxury lifestyle brand that was launched under the designer’s name in 2001. It emboldens confident femininity with elevated yet effortless, conscious fashion. The brand is committed to being an ethical and modern company, believing it is responsible for the resources it uses and the impact it has on the environment. It is therefore constantly innovating new ways to become more sustainable, from designing to store practices and product manufacturing. As a lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney never uses any leather, feathers, fur or skins in any products for both ethical and environmental reasons – pioneering a movement for the use of alternative materials. Supporting regenerative agriculture and circularity, the brand is embracing new business models that will transform how clothes are sourced, produced, sold, shared, repaired and reused, promoting long-lasting products with extended use to reduce environmental impact. Today, Stella McCartney spans women’s ready to wear, unisex capsules, kids’ clothing, accessories, swimwear, lingerie, a performance wear collaboration with adidas, STELLA skincare and more – with 48 directly owned stores and 21 franchise stores across New York City, London, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. Our collections are now sold in 77 nations through 863 specialty shops and department stores, and ship to 100 countries via online.
