Apr 2023 - Present

Isabelle Zeretzke Design Lingerie & Nightwear Designer

Collaborating with brands to design and develop lingerie & nightwear products. Offering a variety of services including, design & direction, strategy, sourcing, production development, technical drawings, pattern cutting, grading, fitting, technical design packs.

Nov 2020 - Mar 2023

Studio Pia Design & Development Manager

Working closely with the Creative Director to design and develop seasonal collections; managing the development team and budget.

• Responsible for overall planning of the seasonal development critical path, working with department managers to establish key dates and ensure deadlines are met.

• Implemented new procedures to the product development process improving efficiency, accuracy and establishing standards.

• Fit overhaul of existing popular styles, continuity and new developments. Re-grading core blocks to improve fit up to a 36FF.

• Creating and presenting seasonal mood boards for up coming collections and forecasted trends.

• Designing and developing seasonal embroideries from sketch to approved production samples, negotiating prices and MOQs to meet targets.

• Sourcing new raw materials and components inline with Studio Pia’s sustainable ethics and performance requirements.

• Collaborating with the creative director and commercial director to range build, develop colour palette and sign off designs.

• Designing and developing lingerie and nightwear products following seasonal direction set by creative director.

• Pattern cutting and grading new developments from sketch through to production, ensuring all patterns are prepared to a high standard.

• Responsible for managing and supporting the junior team member’s training and ensuring tasks are set, completed to a high standard and their deadlines met.

• Communicating with European factories, suppliers and in-house machinists to plan and assist with any technical queries.

• Forecast and monitor department budget throughout sampling and development.

Nov 2016 - Oct 2020

Aura Designer & Account Handler

Working within a design team of three responsible for all areas of product development, costing and production for Boux Avenue Lingerie & Nightwear and previously Topshop. Contributing to the growth of the Boux Avenue account through securing Nightwear as a new product category and responsible for expanding this part of the business.

• Created seasonal trend lead mood boards establishing key shapes, colour and materials through competitor and consumer analysis, keeping up to date with trend forecasting platforms, visiting trade shows and cultural inspiration.

• Developed and sourced fabrics, trims and accessories ensuring feasibility of price, performance and MOQs.

• Designed lingerie and nightwear products up to a G cup, identifying key trends, growth opportunities and newness for the brand and the business.

• Collaborated with the Senior Account Handler to strategise, ensuring the right products are developed to increase revenue, optimising costs and timescales, respective of budget and customer direction.

• Prepared and lead presentations to buyers and directors translating trends into fashion forward, commercial and high volume products.

• Generate precise, full colour technical drawings utilising Illustrator and Photoshop for buyers to visualise new collections and present to wholesale clients.

• Pattern cut and develop concepts utilising the in-house sample machinists and technical team when needed.

• Create and tender development packs to Bangladeshi, Indian, Chinese and Sri Lankan factories. This included clear technical drawings, key construction information and detailed bill of materials to achieve the most competitive prices.

• Negotiate prices with suppliers and customers to reach target margins.

• Responsible for developing products from concept through the entire sealing process, attending internal and customer fit sessions, working closely with the technical team to problem solve and relay clear comments to the factory.

• Manage lab dips, base and bulk testing for all materials through to production ensuring the customers requirements are met and maintained.

• Manage the critical path between the factories and customer through daily communication and weekly VC meetings.

• Work closely with the merchandisers to ensure live orders are meeting required deadlines.

Aug 2013 - Oct 2016

Myla Junior Designer / Design Assistant

Working as part of the design team, responsible for ranges across Lingerie, Nightwear, Swimwear and Beachwear.

• Researched and prepared mood boards following the creative direction from the design managers, identifying trends, shapes and colour to present to the leadership team.

• Sourced fabrics, components and trims, identifying cost, feasibility, and performance through visiting trade shows, communicating and meeting with suppliers from Europe and the Far East.

• Generated design ideas to build ranges in line with the creative direction and Myla brand identity and developed new design ideas for existing core ranges at entry level price points.

• Worked closely with the in-house Atelier to create exclusive lingerie and nightwear pieces for bespoke clients and Myla collections, assisting with mock ups, pattern cutting, and machinist work.

• Responsible for creating and maintaining a detailed technical CAD block library for the team to utilise when creating technical drawings.

• Created technical packs including precise and proportionate CADs, construction information and detailed bill of materials to communicate designs to Chinese and European Factories.

• Daily communications with Chinese and European factories to problem solve and ensure the design, fit and construction of the garment is as requested from initial design specification to silver seal and salesman.

• Attended key meetings with Design, Raw Material and Product Development teams throughout the critical path to ensure that required deadlines are met on time.

• Management of lab dips and colour development.

• Attended weekly fittings with the Senior Product Engineer, offering fit suggestions and solutions. Writing fit comments including specification updates, pattern corrections, construction improvements and fabric, trim remarks from 1st Concept to Silver Seal.

• Presented seasonal collections to the Leadership Team and CEO for further development and sign off.

Nov 2013 - Jan 2014

Bordelle Freelance Technical Illustrator

Produced detailed and precise technical CAD drawings, linesheets and coloured range plans for Bordelle’s AW14 Collection.

Jul 2010 - Oct 2012

Bordelle Production & Studio Assistant

Supported the Production Manager and Design Team over four different collections through the management of students on work experience, production organisation, and creation of technical packs.

• Responsibility over organising in-house & factory production for Bordelle’s current stockists.

• Ensuring all production is completed and prioritised accordingly.

• Creating production schedules to ensure correct fabric and component quantities are ordered and delivery deadlines are met.

• Checking quality assurance on all in-house and factory products, against detailed specifications.

• Utilising Illustrator, Indesign & excel skills by producing the detailed CADs, line sheets & range plans for presentation to potential buyers.

• Creating composition and measurement specification packs for factories and configuring costings.

• Working closely with the designer and pattern cutter with initial development, sampling with factories and final fittings.

• Assisted the pattern cutter with adapting patterns, and creating complicated elastic patterns for the production team.

• Experienced fast paced machine work, assisting in the production line of the lingerie products.

Education

September 2009 - June 2013

September 2008 - June 2009

September 2003 - July 2008

London College Of Fashion

Central Saint Martins College

Windsor School (Germany)

1st Class BA (Hons) Fashion Contour

Foundation Diploma in Art & Design

A Levels: Fine Art(A), Photography(A), Textiles(A), German(A), 11 GCSEs (A*-B)

Skills

Language - Bilingual in English and German.

Research - Strong development of insights through detailed research into the market, creative inspiration and trends, fuelling the design process throughout project briefs. Experience in the industry has shown the key role brand ethos, the consumer and cost plays in finalising designs from inspiration to product.

Fabric and Sourcing - Development, sourcing and management of new fabric trends from the industry. Knowledge and understanding of UK and EU fabric testing requirements, Oeko Tex, Reach and assessment of technical reports.

Design - Strong visual communication of design ideas through hand illustration and use of colour. A passion for 3D experimentation furthers these design skills.

Technical - Strong pattern making, adapting, developing and grading skills. Completed AI technical course in plus fit pattern cutting and grading. Confident in using industrial lockstitch machines, specialised twin needle, zig zag, bartack, and binding machines.

IT - Confident and experienced in Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign. Microsoft office packages and mac. Basic Gerber grade and lay plan knowledge.

Product Development – Confident and experienced in taking concepts and ideas through to finalised retail products through initial development, fitting, grading and quality inspection.

Communication - Customer presentations, weekly VC meetings with factories, training juniors, collaborating with departments and team members has encouraged strong leadership skills, whilst also building teamwork.

References

Available upon request