DESIGN PROCESS- TREND RESEARCH TO PRODUCTION
SHOPPING IN NYC, HONG KONG, SEOUL AND OTHER PLACES IN THE US TO EXPLORE NEW TRENDS AND DISCUSS IDEAS WITH TEAMMATES
SEARCH INSPIRATIONS ONLINE, PRINT INSPIRATIONS, SHARE WITH TEAMMATES AND START MAKING COLOR TREND BOARDS, CONCEPT BOARDS, MOOD BOARDS AND ETC.
CREATE THUMBNAIL SKETCHES BASED ON RESEARCH RESULTS AND BOARDS , REVIEW WITH SALES TEAM AND DESIGN TEAM, THEN START SKETCHING/ INKING FINAL SKETCHES. CREATE LARGE SKETCHES AND PIN EVERYTHING UP ON THE BOARD TO REVIEW DESIGNS WITH BUYERS. MAKE CLEAR NOTES DURING THE REVIEW AND UPDATE SKETCHES.
SKETCHING/ INKING PROCESS
CREATE SEASONAL LINE SHEET CONTAINING CONSTRUCTION , LAST, UPPER, STYLE NAME, ORNAMENTATION AND INSPIRATION DETAILS AND SEND TO CHINA OFFICE FOR PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT. CHINA OFFICE SENDS PICTURES OF PROTOTYPES TO DESIGNERS AND DESIGNERS GIVE COMMENTS ON PHOTOS AND DISCUSS FURTHER WITH TECHNICIANS IN CHINA IF NECESSARY. ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, WORK ON PROTOTYPE SPECS AND SEND TO CHINA SO THAT CHINA MATERIAL TEAM CAN SOURCE LOCAL MATERIAL OPTIONS.
AFTER SENDING ALL THE INFORMATION, VISIT CHINA AND WORK WITH SHOE TECHNICIANS TO CORRECT LASTS AND TO EXECUTE PROTOTYPES ACCURATELY. ALSO VISIT LOCAL FACTORIES AND SUPPLIERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD DESIGNS THOROUGHLY.
VISIT LOCAL MARKETS IN CHINA TO SHOP AFFORDABLE HARDWARE, JEWEL STONES, LEATHER, SYNTHETIC MATERIALS AND FABRIC. ALSO CREATE PRINT DESIGNS SO LOCAL SUPPLIERS CAN PRINT ON PROPER BASE MATERIALS. AT THIS POINT, DESIGNERS LOOKING FOR BOTH PROTOTYPE MATERIALS AND LOT SAMPLE MATERIALS TO DISCUSS PRODUCTION PRICE WITH PRICING & SALES TEAM. COLLECT MATERIAL SWATCH CARDS FROM SUPPLIERS AND SEND TO NYC OFFICE SO DESIGNER CAN PICK MATERIALS AND COLORS FOR LOT SAMPLES AFTER PROTOTYPE MEETING.
CHINA OFFICE SEND PROTOTYPES TO NEW YORK OFFICE. DESIGNER PRESENTS PROTOTYPES TO SALES TEAM, PRICING TEAM, UPPER MANAGEMENT AND BUYERS AND DISCUSS MORE DETAILED SAMPLING DIRECTION ,THEN ADD/ DROP OR CORRECT PROTOTYPES BASED ON THE DISCUSSION. SHIP ALL THE PROTOTYPES AND UPDATED LINE SHEETS TO CHINA OFFICE SO THEY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH FACTORIES.
CREATE SEASONAL COLOR PALETTE AND WORK ON LOT SPECS USING THE SWATCH CARDS FROM CHINA AND SEASONAL COLORS. I PREFER MAKING PERSONAL SWATCH CARDS SO THAT I DON’T HAVE TO WASTE TIME LOOKING FOR SWATCHES. SEND COMPLETED SPECS TO CHINA AND COMMUNICATE ANY NECESSARY DETAILS TO EXPLAIN MATERIALS, COLOR AND ETC.
MAKE A TRIP TO CHINA AGAIN TO CORRECT 2ND AND 3RD PROTOTYPES, VISIT FACTORIES TO OVERSEE PROCEDURE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE. VISIT FACTORIES REGULARLY UNTIL RECEIVING FINAL LOT SAMPLES. WHEN LOT SAMPLES ARRIVE TO THE CHINA OFFICE, CHECK THEM AND TAKE PICTURES FOR RECORD. THEN PACK LOT SAMPLES AND SEND HALF PAIRS TO THE SHOWROOM AND OTHER HALVES TO THE OFFICE TO REVIEW WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT AND TEAMS IN THE US.
REVIEW LOT SAMPLES AND WAIT FOR BUYERS TO SEND OVER ORDER SHEETS AND DELIVERY DATES. MEANWHILE, HELP PRICING TEAM WITH ANY PROBLEMS AND CREATE PRICING SPECS TO CHECK/ NEGOTIATE PRODUCTION PRICES WITH FACTORIES IN CHINA.
PREPARE FOR FFANY WEEK MEETINGS. FFANY IS A PROFESSIONAL TRADE SHOW EVENT PRODUCED FOR THE FASHION FOOTWEAR RETAIL TRADE AND PRESS.
AFTER RECEIVING FINAL ORDER SHEETS FROM THE BUYERS, GATHER LOT SAMPLES AND CHECK FIT, UPPER PATTERN, LAST, CONSTRUCTION, ORNAMENTS AND OTHER DETAILS WITH SHOE TECHNICIAN. THIS IS CALLED SHOE BASE. AFTER SHOE BASE, SEND CORRECTED SAMPLES AND COMMENT SHEETS TO CHINA PRODUCTION TEAM. THEY WILL MAKE CONFIRMATION SAMPLES ACCORDING TO THE COMMENTS ON COMMENTS SHEETS AND SEND OVER CONFIRMATION SAMPLE TO DESIGNER TO CHECK MATERIALS, COLORS AND ETC. EXCEPT FOR FITTING. FITTING WILL BE CHECKED WITH FOLLOWING SAMPLE AGAIN. DESIGNER SHOWS THESE SAMPLES TO BUYERS SO THAT THEY CAN CONFIRM ALL THE DETAILS BEFORE PRODUCTION.
DESIGNER ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO MERCHANDISE DELIVERY DATE, MARKETING, CUSTOMER REVIEW AND ETC. SO THAT EVERYTHING MOVES SMOOTHLY AND SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH TEAMMATES DURING EACH PROCESS.