CAREERS
Luke Roper sets the record straight about the Luke brand’s history p80
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Designer, Duck And Cover JUST THE JOB
What does your job at streetwear brand Duck And Cover involve? At the start of a season we put together colour and trend inspiration boards then we go away and plan key shapes and garments and sketch ideas. We send those out to factories, together with lots of information such as fabric trims, and then go to the Far East and India to follow up the samples. It’s easier to get information across face to face. We also design all of our own shirt fabrics and develop them with our suppliers. What skills do you need? The most important skill is communication. If you can’t communicate your ideas to suppliers you will never get what you want. CAD skills, knowledge of fabrics and how a garment is constructed are key. A good eye for trends is also important. What do you like and dislike about your job? I like working on multiple products including knitwear, outerwear, shirts, denim and T-shirts. Duck And Cover pushes us to be creative but also to keep a sense of what the brand is about. It’s quite frustrating when you put time into developing a sample and then it doesn’t work or the factory doesn’t deliver what you want. But that’s part of the process – you learn how to deal with it.
Robert Beirne CV
2009 Designer, Duck And Cover
2006 Shirt designer, River Island
2004 Designer, Brand Alliance
2003 Designer, David Howard
2000 BA in Fashion Design, Nottingham Trent University
How did you get to where you are today? I stumbled into fashion at art college and then went to Nottingham Trent University to study fashion design. I got a job with a shirtmaker, David Howard, for 18 months, working alongside textile designers. It gives you an insight into what the industry is like. I then moved to casualwear supplier Brand Alliance before joining River Island as a shirt designer for three years. After that I did some freelance work, which is how I met the team at Duck And Cover. What is your proudest career achievement to date? The reaction to the first full range of multiple products I designed for Duck And Cover for spring 11. The feedback from agents on the spring
How to be a... Designer for a young fashion brand
11 collection has been really good. I had a meeting with the guys doing our photo shoot and seeing the first shots coming back was really good – they show the product off really well. What is your ambition? To continue helping to grow the brand. Duck And Cover has a lot of potential. How do you intend to get there? By spending more time with different departments and looking at consumer research – we do a lot of market research into our customers. Getting more involved with photo shoots, constantly pushing the product forward, never resting on your laurels and always asking yourself how to make it better are all important. What three words sum you up? Intelligent, thorough and passionate. What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps? Experience is key. Getting in there and starting to understand how the industry works, how suppliers and manufacturers work and a technical understanding of how things work are so important. Have a passion for the clothes because when it’s manic and stressful, passion gets you through. l
Jane Stammers, Director, design, technical and wholesale, Whitepeak Group
The job of a designer for a young fashion brand is fast paced and versatile. Typically it involves working closely with the creative director and product development teams at the start of each season to compile trend reports, colour palettes and define products. Due to the varied nature of daily
tasks the ideal candidate must be driven, have strong trend awareness, be flexible in adapting to different work situations and have the ability to work to tight deadlines. A good design degree is a must, accompa- nied by a strong portfolio of project- based work as well as a history of design work for a recognised fashion brand. To get to this level of an
established designer, candidates must have about four years’ experience at a brand and have a good understanding of manufacturing and sourcing fabrics. The way brands work is
different from the way high street retailers operate and understanding the difference is vital. A designer is expected to have a great eye for trends, be able to spot cultural and music influences on fashion and have a strong creative flair. Salaries range from £35,000 up
to £45,000.
December 3 2010 Drapers 67
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