Resumé

Key Skills:

• Expert in design and development within manufacturing and cost constraints
• Manage projects from concept to launch
• Experience in range building and planning process
• Translate consumer insight into informed product lines
• Marketing for brands and products for domestic and international markets
• Highly experienced in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign

Interests:

Football, Photography, Snowboarding, Traveling (exploring and embracing new places and cultures) Hiking and other Outdoor Activities.

Education/Experience:

Pentland Brands – UK Head Office, London
Footwear Designer: January 2013- present

Ted Baker Footwear

• Research and Design of new styles within the Women’s casual fashion range
• Created detailed artwork for component designs
• Upper CAD artwork, colour application and detailed specification documents

Lacoste Footwear - L!VE & L.E.D. Categories

• Design and briefing of new footwear styles within the trend category
• Colour and material trend research and direction for new season development

The Brasher Boot Company (Pentland Outdoor Devision)
Junior Footwear Designer April 2010 - January 2013

• Translated consumer insight into commercial range of products, which increased the gender specificity of the design direction
• Redesigned classic product lines to increase commercial appeal, resulting in incremental business growth
• Developed strong working relationships with sourcing and development teams in India, China and Portugal, which resulted in PPR samples arriving earlier than previous seasons to allow the team to expose the designs to external stakeholders.


Xenophya Design- Motorcycle Design Consultancy
6 Month design placement : January - June 2009

• Designed an innovative concept Eco- Motorcycle
• Developed an understanding of the design industry


Northumbria University 2006 – 2010
BA Hons - Transportation Design

Northumbria University September 2006 – July 2010
(BA Hons) Transportation Design

Collaboration projects with Land Rover, Xenophya and Triumph, CGI (Concept Group International) and Interior Motives design competition 2008

Interior Motives Design Awards 2008 - Shortlisted
Attended the award ceremony in Paris, 2008

Lotus factory visit, Norfolk, U.K.
Self organized trip to the manufacturing facilities for materials and processes group presentation research.

Queen Elizabeth Sixth form College 2005-2006
Foundation Studies in Art and Design
Over the year of study I was involved in graphic, textile, fine art and 3D design projects

Richmond Sixth Form College 2003-2005:
Art and Design A
Product Design B

Richmond School 1998-2003
GCSE Product Design A
GCSE Art & Design B
GCSE Religious Studies B
GCSE English, Science Double Award, Mathematics and Business Studies C

Projects by James Birks

Personal Work
13 Files

Sketch Books
15 Files

Football Boot project
29 Files

Bentley Shooting Brake
8 Files

MINI Clubman
5 Files

Trans Form
5 Files

Xenophya Placement EV-0 RR
21 Files

Photoshop Wheel
2 Files

Street Fighter
6 Files

Plain Tree Photographs
8 Files