Oliver Bonas
We are looking for a Womenswear Designer to join Team OB in our Support Office on a 12 month maternity cover contract.
As a Womenswear Designer at OB, you will bring our concepts to life using your expertise to develop a clothing collection that our customers will love. You will lead the casual bottoms, denim and outerwear product categories.
Reporting to the Head Fashion Designer, you will work on projects from initial concept through to completion using your practical skills to support both your imagination and visualisation. You will work collaboratively with the Print, Knitwear and Accessories Designers as well as the Clothing Buyer and Merchandiser, in delivering an authentic and inspirational collection.
Our Support Office is based in Tolworth, near Chessington, only a 30-minute journey from London Waterloo. We offer hybrid working with a split of 3 days in the office and 2 days home working per week, and are open to having conversations about working flexibly.
A bit about us …
At Oliver Bonas (OB), our values of Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind are integral to everything we do. Collaboration, imagination, curiosity, and teamwork are key to our success, and everyone has their part to play in making OB a special place to work.
Having fun is key, and a playful and positive approach creates an optimistic environment. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we are serious about what we do.
Our team knows their stuff. They’re confident and creative and unafraid to challenge convention to find solutions, taking accountability for their actions, but always with kindness and humility.
More about the role …
An OB Womenswear Designer will:
• Design and create the womenswear clothing collection from concept through to production, developing the range collaboratively with the Design and Buying teams.
• Translate themes and trends into ideas or concepts for each season’s collections, including colour palette, pattern, materials and product
• Assist the Head Fashion Designer and Design team, creating seasonal department concepts and themes, colour palettes and trend research that are in line with the brands hand writing and vision
• Conduct trend research and market analysis and Present themes to the company and relevant suppliers when needed
• Collaborate with the Buying and Merchandising teams analysing and supporting in creating new seasonal strategy plans in line with company KPI’s and top line strategy
• Ensure the OB brand values are reflected in all areas of work from design development to production
• Review and approve all product specification, final designs, colourways and final samples at sign off meetings
• Work closely with our supplier base to understand and develop capability
• Carry out sourcing and attending inspirational trips, feeding back to teams and business to inspire others
• Lead fit sessions with the Garment Technologists, communicating technical knowledge to the team where relevant
• Manage supplier communications with product development knowledge across the categories
• Communicate to the wider business in the company meeting the new themes, styles and concepts
Bonas Benefits:
• Generous employee discount up to 50% off all OB products
• Free access to our 24 hour employee assistance programme with Care First – offering financial, emotional and vocational support
• Flexible holiday – 30 days (including bank holidays) – increasing to 35 days with length of service
• Annual discretionary profit related bonus scheme
• Free membership for our Westfield Health Cash Plan
• Auto-enrolment into our pension plan
• Free access to our onsite gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Refer a Friend incentive
• Quarterly free lunch
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Voice network and EDI team
• Mental Health First Aider support
• Education and support through 360L eLearning platform
What we look for:
• The ability to connect with OB brand identity and an understanding of the OB handwriting
• A Fashion or Product Design BA Hons or equivalent qualification
• Technical knowledge of womenswear clothing
• Excellent drawing skills and technical drawing ability
• Good eye for colour, pattern and detail
• Knowledge of construction and manufacturing processes
• Expert computer skills including CAD, Adobe Suite, Photoshop, and Illustrator
• Big ideas and a strong conceptual imagination
• Confident communicator with the ability to influence and persuade
• An energetic, fun and flexible approach to how you work
• Ambition to be part of a dynamic design team and create a market defining brand
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at OB
At Oliver Bonas, our promise is to do our bit to make living a joyful experience and give cause for optimism. This promise is central to our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). To bring joy to others, we must first ensure everyone at OB feels valued, included and most importantly, can be themselves at work.
It is important to us that our brand reflects wider society and the communities in which we operate. As a result, we welcome all eligible applicants for this role however we are particularly interested in speaking to eligible candidates from the Black, Asian & Mixed Heritage communities.
Oliver Bonas is a Disability Confident Committed employer under the Disability Confident employer scheme.
To read more about our ED&I commitments, head over to the EDI page on our website: https://www.oliverbonas.com/meet-the-team/diversity