Woven Designer and Sales Representative Job Role

 

Full-time (35 hour week), based at the D+M studio in Bristol. Salary TBC depending on experience, position to start April 2023.

 

Reporting directly to the Head Designer and Directors, this role requires a real passion for innovative hand-woven design, along with excellent organisation, communication, and project management skills. The successful candidate will love to travel, enjoy working within a small and creative team, but also have the drive to work autonomously.

 

Design and Project Management:

• Designing and hand-weaving innovative, original and commercially viable Dobby and Jacquard samples for the D+M portfolio of artworks sold to fashion/interior clients worldwide.

• Autonomously working towards the D+M monthly internal sales targets and deadlines via responsive, seasonal and client-driven design, upholding the D+M creative design studio ethos.

• Working confidently with CAD software Pointcarre, Photoshop and Illustrator to develop original artworks and weave structures, mood-boards, colour-work and accurate textile simulations.

• Proactive in driving studio trend research forward, communicating with clients and anticipating seasonal market requirements for both D+M key existing, and target markets.

• Thorough and organised digital documentation of design work for both the D+M collection and client projects including technical sheets, weave plans, photographs and physical cuttings of design samples.

• Co-ordinating and delivering client projects through meetings, trend research, mood-boards, CADs and handloom samples to meet the brief for a variety of outcomes including fashion, interiors, sportswear, automotive and artist commissions.

• Preparing client Project Proposals in line with studio workflow, consulting with the client and D+M team to issue quotes and lead-times. Working with the team to define objectives and monitor overall progress to ensure goals are achieved and deadlines met.

• Leading client projects ensuring that timings, technical requirements, pricing, and production limitations are considered and upheld without compromising on design value and innovation. Maintaining client communication and implementing new procedures as a result of client feedback.

• Working across studio R&D projects.

 

Sales:

• Arranging and undertaking regular global sales trips and trade shows, representing the company and liaising with clients domestically and internationally.

• Researching and generating new business contacts in both new and existing international markets, developing new business and securing new clients.

• Maintaining and developing existing client accounts, building long-term client relationships.

• Collating and gathering feedback during client meetings, tradeshows and trips to global markets, presenting to the D+M team.

• Analysing sales patterns, seasonal customer requirements and feeding back into personal design-work and D+M team.

• Curating the D+M collection to be market and client appropriate as required.

• Organised and thorough documentation of any expenditure related to sales trips, including receipts and foreign cash.

 

General Studio:

• Sourcing yarn and other raw materials, communicating with yarn suppliers, working with existing suppliers, researching and building relationships with new ones.

• Finishing and mounting samples, ensuring new designs and relevant archive designs are woven, curated and presented in a timely manner.

• Practical weaving tasks such as setting up of weaving looms from warp winding to threading and reeding.

• Photographing, digitising and uploading designs to the D+M on-line collection platform.

• Managing and direction of studio interns.

• Responding to general enquires.

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Experience and Skills Required:

• BA (Hons) in textile design with specialism in woven textiles.

• 3+ years experience as a woven designer with experience in both jacquard and dobby weaving.

• Confident working with CAD including Photoshop and weave software (Pointcarre desired).

• Experience in international sales (textile sales desired), confident traveller with driving licence.

• Evidence of excellent project management skills, demonstrating autonomous client project management from start to finish.

• Inherent understanding of brand identity and design requirements linked to product offering across a broad range of sectors.

 

To apply please send a CV, cover letter and digital portfolio to juliet@dashandmiller.com by 9am on Thursday 16th February 2023.