Senior Footwear Designer London, England
Job description
At Lacoste PCL, we’re reinventing the sneaker industry. We’ve got plans to expand the confines of shoe innovation, focusing on performance and fashion.
We proudly celebrate our incredible history; founded by René Lacoste in 1933, you might know us for our legendary polo shirts… but we’re so much more. Since January 2018, Pentland and Lacoste formed a joint venture, and we’re the force behind Lacoste footwear globally. Now we’re on to the next big breakthrough, and we want you to be a part of it.
You can expect to feel right at home as soon as you enter our beautiful and creative space in North London, and our team is a truly friendly and welcoming bunch.
You’ll thrive in our environment if you’re ready to meaningfully collaborate. As one of our core values, it will be an important part of your life here. You won’t go a day without someone coming over to your desk to get your opinion or seeing a group of creatives getting excited over an idea they’ve had.
We also work and act resiliently (another value!) and we’re not afraid to give or receive candid and honest feedback. We know it’s imperative so we can keep growing and getting better.
As a small and non-hierarchical team of around 75, you’ll get the opportunity to collaborate cross-functionally, regardless of job role. When you join us, we promise you’ll always be learning something new or feeling challenged, in the best way possible.
Role Purpose
Working under the direction of the Footwear Design Manager, and in collaboration with the Design Director, continuously create and execute future Lacoste footear from concept to consumer.
Needs:
- Design experience and understanding of footwear constructions and processes.
- A strong knowledge of sneaker, fashion and or performance footwear.
- A strong skillset in building detailed tech packs and blue prints.
- To be driven, focused and comfortable working with minimal supervision.
- The ability to work to strict and short deadlines without compromising quality of work output.
- The availability to travel twice a year for up to two weeks per trip.
Leadership
- Support the Footwear Design Manager in their absence and providing directional solutions.
- Inspire colleagues to develop their understanding of silhouettes, design techniques, storytelling, technical blueprints and colour & materials.
- Manage at least one Junior Designer, assuring they are meeting deadlines, developing their skillsets and offering them support where needed.
Design and Development
- Create New Creation designs though research, sketching, rendering, 3D modelling and application of Colour & Materials.
- In collaboration with our materials team, help to develop and research new materials, constructions and processes in order to push innovation wherever possible.
- Experience of building storytelling concepts to support rational behind products + range creation.
- Create new upper and tooling tech packs, develop and revise blue-prints and 3D models.
- Carry out seasonal development trips to the Asian & European factory network to oversee the sampling process once per season.
Research:
- Continuously conduct market research gathering insights into consumers, competitors, cultures, markets in order to stay on top of Lacoste’s competitive landscape.
- Provide detailed reports following each research trip that inspires and quantifies your findings.
Communication:
- Lead design presentations ensuring information is clearly understood.
- Collaborate cross functionally with PLM and Development at all times to ensure a collaborative relationship between categories.
- Work closely with Development teams to ensure a smooth flow of information in regards to construction and production issues.
- Display an ability to present clearly product proposition with conviction and awareness of functional, cultural and regional differences.
Our Values
Integrity
Be loyal to our principles
Commit to having honest conversations
Future proof our industry, our environment and our brand
Enterprise
Innovate and break the mould
Learn from the world around us
Consistently seek to create and improve
Question and challenge
Courage
Lead the pack and be audacious
Voice and act on our ambitions
Challenge the status quo and other people
Be accountable for your actions
Allow room for tenacity and the results could go beyond expectations
Resilience
Learn from your mistakes and take responsibility
Maintain the agility to change direction & be spontaneous
Keep moving forwards
Be optimistic in all ventures
Accept respectful challenge
Collaboration
Seek out ways to be inclusive
Look for ways to rally each other’s strengths
Be confident to know when you are the expert
Be united in your goals and support one another
Be solutions focused, together
