United Kingdom
I’m a strategy leader shaped by a career of catalytic moves across Fashion, Sportswear and Automotive Design. I’ve built and scaled new creative functions in both start-ups and global organisations, bringing storytelling, materiality and brand expression together in distinctive ways, particularly through colour and circular design in the premium and luxury sectors. I’m known for mentoring senior teams, challenging convention with intent, and helping brands find clarity, confidence and differentiation in high pace environments.
'Roger Federer smells so good’- overheard in canteen. On top of existing commitments: set up the ‘Strategy’ team, implementing preferred raw material strategies, colour technology integration per business unit / product family and Material DNA per product franchaise. Set Creative Direction alongside senior design leadership team, as a resident material expert. Incubate innovations in colour and materials parallel to protecting current materiality in commercialisation (990 million CHF net sales in 2022).
‘Why does this cauliflower cost 12 f*****g quid?’- 1st day in Zurich. An accumulation of my experience directed into my biggest challenge to date- create functioning material departments across Footwear, Apparel and Accessories…from scratch. Grew team from 4 to 22, carving and maintaining an equal contribution space in the product creation process for materials teams. Directly mentor 4 senior leaders (FTW HQ/FTW ASIA/APPAREL HQ/ACC HQ) to be the empowered face for material departments, enabling all individuals to be entrepreneurs in their craft and by championing collaboration with key counter parts in Design/Development/Product management. Parallel, created and implemented game changing material strategies from less glamorous build of core toolboxes through to industry leading creative direction for material and colour application innovations.
'A car is just a big shoe with wheels’ Heightened my obsession with material-led product creation by being part of a team that redefined modern luxury through the global 'MATERIALITY' concept. Learnt new skills in exterior paint colour technology parallel to translating my footwear material expertise over to the Automotive world. No, i didn't get a free Range Rover.
'You hate Football'- Dad. How can i take my outsider perspective and infiltrate product creation to produce new results? You also don't have to have a pencil and paper to design- I did it with fabric, scissors and a staple gun. Advocated the movement of material led design, and revolutionised the way the team created product. One of my proudest moments, on top of diversifying and mentoring a team of 11 through being unapologetically myself, and in result being welcomed with open arms.
‘Hi, I’m Rihanna’- Rihanna. From making high heels out of rubber, to commercialising faux fur slides for Rihanna and looking after multi-million dollar Puma Suede franchise. Journeyed me from the dulcet landscapes of Bavaria to the cultural reset of Vietnam.
'Well done on finally getting a proper job'- Mum. My first opportunity to see commercial product creation process from start to finish.