The Ackermans Woman Standalone Stores team are looking for a fashion obsessed individual to assist our dynamic Trend & Design Team.
The successful candidate will research and interpret trends and design relevant commercial styles and updates, while keeping up to date with international retailers. Interpret and design merchandise in accordance with Ackermans customer requirements, keeping price and value in mind.
Department: Trend & Design
Role: Fashion Designer
Locations: Ackermans Support Centre
Employment type: Full-time
So, what will you do?
- Assist design team with strategy execution
- Research, analyse, edit and select key volume drivers based on high level trends as well as international commercial retail trends
- Continuously keep abreast of updates to these trends through understanding our customer sales.
- Filter, select and translate this information to design partners to optimize assortments and drive sell-thru across portfolios.
- Research and spot newness for testing purposes in collaboration with the designer(s)
- Create key seasonal technical drawings to inform Product Technology and Buyers for tenders and seasonal blocks
- Collaborate with buying team to ensure the collection is trend relevant, commercial, strong, cohesive and balanced
- Continuously flag in-season international retail shifts keeping latest Ackermans sales and customer preferences top of mind, highlighting new test and category opportunities.
What experience & qualifications do you need?
SKILLS required:
- Awareness of global, local and holistic trends.
- Good strategic, conceptual skills and a solid knowledge of South African retail landscape
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite
- Strong eye for fashion and detail with the ability to predict, analyse & monetize future retail and fashion trends for local customer
- The ability to research and provide mood, colour, print and silhouette direction, drawing from many sources of influence including runway, street, retail, culture, art, social media and trend services.
- The ability create key seasonal technical drawings.
- Appropriate trends, items, colour, styling, materials and patterns proposed and prepared in an exciting, understandable and appropriate format.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
- All communication demonstrated in an in-depth trend knowledge coupled with a business understanding.
- Strong relationship building and influencing skills
- Excellent time management, organizational and administrative skills and presentation skills
- High energy level and is performance-driven and deadline-orientated
- Creative with an eye for detail, analytical and systematic, passionate about fashio
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE required:
- A Grade 12 Certificate/Matric
- Relevant Degree (e.g. Fashion Design) or Diploma
- Minimum of 1-2 years’ experience in clothing design: with proven experience in Apparel