e
Handbag & Accessories designer & developer
Natalya Koval
Aylesbury, United Kingdom
Available Now
- Contact
- Save to list
-
About
Motivated and hard working design professional with experience in flat Leathergoods, Handbags and small accessories design and development.
I can design a collection from sketch to the prototyping and further production supervision.
I thrive on the research process leading to the development of the collection but also really enjoy developping the product from patterns to the final sample for production. I am a bit of a perfectionist and can be a bit of nitpicker when time frame of project allows.
One of my personal interests is crafts and various heritage dying arts that can be redesigned into a contemporary product. I have worked on projects in Africal with social enterprise.
I have lived and worked in a variety of countries and have very good cross cultural communication skills and fit in well within a variety of teams.
I enjoy a fast paced environment and work well under pressure and have a very positive attitude when dealing with problems.
Skills:
Pattern cutting, sample making, hardware and leather knowledge, costing, factory sourcing, production supervision, handbag design, trend research, free hand sketch, CAD product design & illustration, collection development, millinery, sneaker design, small leather goods design. -
Education
-
Sneaker Design Intensive Footwear designPensole Academy2017 - 2017Was shortlisted to participate in Sneaker Design Intensive course in Portugal. Design of a concept of Sneaker from Consumer research to the final design and presentation to the judges. As part of the course had visits to shoe sampling factory and largest outsole factory in Portugal.
-
Lessons in Pattern cutting and making Luxury Leather goods Luxury leather goodsPrivate2015 - 2016Took lessons with Hermes trained craftsman Volker Koch from Studio Ruuger in London. Assisted him throughout the year with sampling and pattern cutting various luxury leather goods.
-
Footwear & Accessories FashionUniversity of Northampton2007 - 20101st year - Won a boot design competition, had handbag selected as part of BLC competition for leather manipulation. 2nd year - had handbag & shoe design selected to be presented at ALPF. 3rd year - changed exotic skin colour and finish with help of Tannery facilities in the University Leather school. Final shoe collection was made by traditional shoe maker and bag collection was shown on Graduate Fashion week catwalk.
-
-
Experience
-
Designer and developer of leather goodsJan 2020 - Present (6 years 5 months)- Design and development of handbags, small leather goods, home accessories and sneakers.
- Trend and consumer research focusing primarily on sustainable and ethical materials and processes.
- Comprehensive knowledge of vegan materials and production processes.
- Research and sourcing of sustainable leathers and leather alternatives.
- Developing a collection from scratch for start ups as well as matching existing handwriting for established brands. Preparing detailed technical packs for factories overseas.
- My main focus is on high end and premium market with high attention to detail.
- Have a very colourful and playful design aesthetic and passionate about crafts from different cultures around the world. -
Men bags designer and product managerLondon, United KingdomSep 2019 - Jan 2020 (4 months)* Designing new Men handbag collection under direction of Design Director
* Developing a new language and direction for Men collections
* Conceptual design research by visiting exhibitions and comp shop
* Research into target consumer lifestyle and user habits
* Research into opportunities to develop new commercial and on brand products that can increase revenue
* Participating in branding brainstorming workshops
* Preparing very detailed technical packs
* Managing the critical path
* Looking after junior member of the team -
Men Handbag & Accessories designer and developerHorsens, DenmarkDec 2017 - Aug 2019 (1 year 8 months)Designing mens accessories ranges for one of the fastest growing e-commerce start up in Denmark.
Creating product for a portfolio of brands in Scandinavian aesthetic.
* Trend research, visiting exhibitions, trade fairs, competitive shopping and trend seminars
* Sourcing new factories and getting best quality and price from existing manufacturers in Europe and Asia
* Designing and developing commercial and creative product across bags, small leather goods, belts hard suit accessories, grooming and more.
* Developing thorough detailed specification packs
* Design & development of packaging
* Design to various handwriting and price point levels
* Developing collections in line with brand promise
* Designing product to a target price point
* Negotiating prices with suppliers per product and per overall first order.
* Overseeing the product from a perspective of designer, developer and buyer responsibilities
* Creating a product to be sold in 25 markets
* Collaborating with freelancers. -
Home accessories designer & developerKimalaJun 2017 - Sep 2018 (1 year 3 months)• Collaborating on an aspirational collection of home accessories to be sold in UK/US & produced in Uganda.
• Consumer trends research, market research, business proposal.
• Designing consumer led product easy to manufacture in Uganda.
• Working with a charity in Uganda helping women with AIDS. -
Designer & DeveloperOxford LeathercraftOct 2015 - Jun 2018 (2 years 8 months)• Design & development of leather goods for men and women.
• Redevelopment of existing range, improving quality and elevating design. -
Millinery assistantLouise Claire MillineryWallingford, United KingdomFeb 2017 - Jun 2017 (4 months)• Assiting a milliner with 20+ years experience.
• I designed a disc that was worn on 1st day of Ascot by an ITV presenter.
• Blocking sinamay discs, hand-stitching trims, trimming & I designed a bespoke disc for summer collection and numerous fascinators.
• Observing direct feedback from the store and designing accordingly. -
Designer & DeveloperJinja Creative CollectiveOct 2016 - Mar 2017 (5 months)• Working as part of design collective designing a range of leather goods priced at £1800+ to be manufactured in Uganda & Europe.
• Extensive design research into new materials, design development, mock ups, sampling and craft techniques.
• Contemporary Nordic design & African influences.
• Preparing presentations and detailed costings for investors.
• Sourcing factories and artisans as well as experimenting in-house with improving cloth surface. -
Designer & DeveloperYeovil, United KingdomFeb 2014 - Mar 2016 (2 years 1 month)• In charge of men’s leather goods collection.
• My direction of their collection increased brand credibility and sales.
• Trend research, competitive shopping, research into vintage patterns and constructions.
• Striving to achieve a cost effective, beautiful and ergonomic ‘MADE IN UK’ product.
• Pattern cutting and prototyping for Dunhill, Jaguar, Land Rover, Jack Wills, Hut Group and Pickett among others.
• Costings, sourcing components, putting together materials & technical packs for production handover.
• Working with on-site factory to ensure a good quality product from sampling to production.
• Managing numerous projects & working towards tight deadlines.
• Managing workload for the design studio.
• Mentoring interns and junior design team members. -
Designer & DeveloperCreel EnglandOct 2014 - Aug 2015 (10 months)• Working closely with director on design and development of samples.
• Sampling and prototyping card holders in ostrich and fish skin.
• Assisting in design and development of small leather goods for ladies range.
-
Design & Development AssistantWalsall, United KingdomJan 2012 - Feb 2014 (2 years 1 month)• Designing, sampling and supervising production of 3 commercially successful pieces for the women’s range.
• Sampling and preparing production of the Dunhill order.
• Due do my vigorous QC the factory didn’t have any returns from this client for the first time.
• Working with a large variety of leathers: ostrich, fish, hair on hide and lizard. -
Design assistantAcompany PlcLondon, United KingdomOct 2011 - Jan 2012 (3 months)• Designing scarves, bags, prints and embellishments for high street accounts.
• Accounts: Warehouse, Lipsy, Miss Selfridge, Shopdirect, TK Maxx & Historical Royal Palaces.
• Trend research, competitive shopping, CADs & Photoshop renderings. -
Millinery assistantLouis MarietteLondon, United KingdomAug 2011 - Oct 2011 (2 months)• Designing and trimming 3 ‘ready to wear’ hats, 2 bridal hats and 2 bridal fascinators.
• Assisting with making couture and bespoke hats. -
Jewellery design assistantMelissa DiamantidisLondon, United KingdomDec 2010 - Jan 2011 (1 month)• Assisting with design & production of catwalk jewellery.
-
Footwear manufacturingThat's Shoe BizLondon, United KingdomApr 2010 - May 2010 (1 month)• Assisted with manufacturing of my graduate shoe collection in a shoe sampling studio.
-
Design assistantAfrican ClassicsNairobi, KenyaJun 2006 - Sep 2009 (3 years 3 months)• Working with traditional African Masai embroidery.
• Creating new ideas for existing bags in African style.
• Some of the styles I created were in production for several years.
• Recruiting craftsmen to produce accessories for handbags.
• Making silkscreen designs and working directly with production.
-
-
Awards
BA(Hons) Fashion Footwear & Accessories
BA(Hons) Applied and Decorative Arts 1st yr
Ba(Hons) Environmental Design 1st yr -
Affiliations
University of Northampton
-
Industries
-
Skills
-
Elsewhere on the Web
-
On Coroflot@natalyakoval, member since 2008
-
-
Following 1
-
Followers 4
-
