top of page

PRODUCT DEVELOMENT

On the secret of his success, Einstein observed: 

 

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

​

And nowhere is imagination more vital than in the fashion world, where brands fight over the prescient Einstein who can repeatedly imagine – or re-imagine – what’s next.

​

But having the strategy, skills, and suppliers in place to quickly translate trend-setting ideas into tangible, globally-compliant products is where the real action is taking place.

​

In the thick of the action for 20 years, here’s how I can help you in all three areas:

Strategy

I have extensive experience working in Design, Product Development, Quality Assurance and even After Sales, resulting in a full 360 understanding. The importance of how these functions dovetail into your brand’s strategy and structure is clear to me. However, unless you can communicate with your manufacturers, it can create unnecessary obstacles and even become self defeating.

​

I can help you:

​

  • Identify areas that hinder the adoption of a compliance-first product development strategy.

  • Benchmark research and development processes against best practices.

  • Assess the quality of the facilities and equipment you have in place.

  • And review or upgrade policies and standards tailored to your niche.

Skills

Beneath the glitzy veneer, fashion and retail brands are busy warring over design talent  to turn great ideas into great products.

​

To help you win this war, I can assess the technical capabilities of your research, design and development teams, flagging up any skill gaps that you can work to fill or adapt your existing processes. 

​

I can also help your key talent in three practical ways:

Fixing problems and exploring alternatives

I can help them fix engineering problems, whilst also introducing them to innovative alternative options that could save time and money or get products faster to market.

Adopting 3D printing technologies

As Senior Technical Quality Manager at Alfred Dunhill, I was instrumental in integrating 3D printing into the standard workflow of both the design and product development departments. 

​

This enables me to help your teams rapidly adopt 3D printing technologies, fleshing out flaws that they or over imaginative suppliers and manufacturers might trip over.

Choosing the right raw materials and finishing touches

With a working knowledge of many materials including metals, precious metals, exotic metals, glass, wood, plastics and engineering ceramics, I can advise your designers on the opportunities and pitfalls of almost every raw material available.

​

Additionally I have real knowledge of surface finishing (Galvanic, PVD, CVD, ALD) techniques, I can also steer them in the right direction for those all-important finishing touches. 

Suppliers

Few industrial designers in the fashion world have led complex, multi-faceted projects that drew on the capabilities of manufactures in the UK, Europe (inc Russia), Asia (inc China, Thailand, Korea, and Japan), and the Americas.

​

This dual-edged experience means I can ensure your suppliers and manufactures:

 

  • Have the technical skills to develop your products on time and on budget

  • Understand the engineering aspects of your design specifications

  • Bring their imagination to bear on the design and development process

Art + Science = Great products

Without a deep knowledge of physics, Einstein’s potent imagination would not have made the profound, world-changing breakthroughs it did. He – and you – need both.

​

I’m not Einstein. But I do know the scientific and engineering breakthroughs leading global luxury brands are drawing on to keep them pushing the boundaries.

​

And I know the kind of talent and the type of specialist skills they are actively looking for in-house and in their supply chains.

​

If your brand wants to take a rigorous, methodical, scientific approach to product development, please get in touch.

bottom of page