Role: Design Manager
Contract: Full-time
Start Date: ASAP
Location: London
In 2001, Lazy Oaf was birthed into the world by Gemma Shiel, into a North London garage specifically, before taking its first tentative steps out in public at a market stall in Spitalfields alongside some old pornos because you know, sex sells? Fast forward 20 years and we've survived floods, fires and a global pandemic. We have two stores in London and over a million strong community of loyal fans and customers from around the globe. As a brand, Lazy Oaf celebrate the not normal in all of us. We have a wry sense of humour and we like to take risks and carve our own path. We do what feels right to us and don't march to anyone else's tune.
We are looking for a Design (Fashion) Manager to lead and manage our in-house design team. Supporting our creative lead with the smooth running of the Oaf fashion and product design function, ensuring we design all the Oaf Goodness alongside our brand objectives and inline with our creative direction. You will be working on various projects ranging from seasonal collections to collaborations which requires you to be directional, dynamic, versatile and a person who is organized beyond the sock drawer but also a creative wizard.
If you have an excellent creative eye and a passion for designing Unisex, menswear, womenswear and contemporary design, you have come to the right place ☺︎.
As an independent company we strive to be original and unparalleled, and are looking for a new team member who reflects this ethos.
Responsibilities:
- Leading and Working with our small design team on all collections from concept, ideation, design through to production.
- Supporting and collaborating with the creative Lead, setting the tone and vision of creative direction across the design and creative teams.
- Owning, driving and responsible for the design process and the critical path, ensuring that projects run to deadlines and the team are inline and delivering to those goals.
- Developing a design execution strategy and work flow/process that best delivers a strong and consistent look and feel to our collections and Oaf identity. This role requires you to find and drive these processes and manage timelines, planners and budget where necessary.
- We like to take a collaborative approach to managing and getting the best from our teams. You will be working alongside the creative lead to nurture, coach and grow a collaborative, agile and creative way of working that encourages the team and creative ideas to produce original designs.
- Keep us inspired! Launch and manage inspiration research; creative best practice, lead ideation sessions, create mood boards, and other initial development for each season/quarter.
- Presenting designs and ideas to the Creative Lead and Director efficiently and clearly, working with the team to make changes where necessary following feedback.
- Working alongside the creative function to propose collection stories, part of the ideation process that extends through our brand story telling at product launch.
- Working with our Buying and Merch team on range plan building and executing with final design.
- Creating the design briefs, maintaining a collaborative work process to include constructive feedback and sign off points. Ensuring brief translations form a collection that would get our customers foaming at the mouth.
- Working across categories such as Unisex (our fav category) Men’s wear, Women’s wear, lifestyle product and accessories and whatever we can think of next!
- Being an amazing designer, you live and breathe contemporary fashion, streetwear and youth culture and understand how Oaf interprets this.
- Taking ownership, managing and driving the design process through, from ideas and concept, designing, design development, working with our product developers and garment techs through the sample development stages.
- Working with the product team to ensure we get ahead with what we are thinking from sourcing trims and fabrics to Design packs creation/ technical specs, details, trims, artworks are all complete, and help maintain correct and updated CADS and range sheets as and when needed.
- Seeing product development from a design guardian perspective, Attending fit sessions, providing feedback and design edits where necessary.
- Collaboration: managing external Creative network - relationships – outsourcing to creative talent, initiating external briefs, clear deliverables and manage efficiency, and delivery of required artwork on time.
- A confident presenter.
- Travelling to visit our suppliers overseas and on development / inspiration trips as and when it is safe to do so.
Requirements:
- Understands the Lazy Oaf aesthetic and approach to design, and have an affinity with the brand. You need a good eye, dark humour, and an unhealthy fashion fixation, designing with impact and risk in mind, we like to push ourselves creatively and not be led by trends.
- Has sound knowledge of fabrics, garment construction and an eye for colour.
- Has a good eye for contemporary graphics and youth culture.
- Experience in contemporary street wear across both Men’s and Women’s wear.
- Is a hoarder of odd images found on socials and the internet for those 'just in case moments'.
- Can work well under pressure, manage their time and can stick to strict deadlines, is adaptable and with the ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
- Understands and work to the budget constraints of production and manufacturing.
- A wiz in the Adobe creative suite.
- Ability to work as part of a team as well as drive individual projects.
- Confident in presenting back and communicating well to other members of the team.
- Highly organised, self-motivated, competent and can use own initiative
- 3-5 years in a similar role.
- Previous Experience leading a team/direct reports.
Hell Yeah! How do I apply?
If you think you tick all of the above boxes then we want to hear from you! We are likely to receive a lot of interest in this role. Please submit your C.V, a covering letter telling us why you are the right person for this job, a link to your digital portfolio and a little something you found on the internet, that you think we might enjoy and grabs our attention! Please send this info to DESIGN@LAZYOAF.COM with the subject title ‘Design Manager’
OUR VALUES:
THE FUNNY SIDE
We have an irreverent and wry sense of humour and take a sideways glance at life, celebrating the not-normal in all of us.
BARREL OF RISKY
We are non-conformist, unconventional and brave and we trust our gut to tell us what's right for us. We dance to our own tune.
CREATIVITY
It’s at the heart of everything we do. It’s both what we are and our style of approach. We are born from creativity and it’s the beating heart of the brand.
INDEPENDENCE
We are a resilient independent female-led business with the freedom and conviction to carve our own path and dance to our own tune
COLLABORATION
We build and nurture our own creative culture, communities and network through collaboration
INCLUSIVITY
We are community conscious, supportive and representative both internally and externally. We are proud of our diverse workplace and do not discriminate based on gender, ethnicity, race or sexual orientation.
HA.P.P.P.Y (PEOPLE PRODUCT PLANET)
We limit our negative impact from concept through to launch on the environment and all those involved. We champion Social Responsibility, and we do no harm
