This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be based in Mumbai leading the design processes of an early stage award-winning circular design brand, I was a Sari. A full-time position sponsored by Chime for Change – Gucci’s inclusion project – and promoted by the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano.

We are looking for a passionate and talented fashion designer who can take our brand to the next level in terms of product aesthetics and circular design practices. We currently sell to international audiences and want to expand sales by raising our product quality to target mass as well as to luxury boutique audiences.

We’re looking for the right person to lead I was a Sari design as 2019-20 is an important year for us to explore both new product ranges and new sustainable methods of production. I was a Sari is synonymous with sustainability – both social as well as environment. Our brand has recently won the prestigious Indian Circular Design Award and recently presented its latest collection at the heads of state meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Kenya.

Though I was a Sari is a young brand, its range of products vary from accessories to clothing to footwear. Increasingly, our products are embellished and enriched with hand embroidery techniques. We are also experimenting with saris mixed with a variety of other materials from pre – and post – consumer dead-stocks.

ARE YOU THE RIGHT CANDIDATE?

If you can say yes to the below, then we’d say you are suited to this job and you should apply!

• I’m a talented and experienced fashion designer
• I hold a master’s degree in fashion design or related field
• I believe Circular Fashion is the future and I want to design it
• I see beauty in up-cycling ‘waste’ materials
• I’d enjoy working to improve the lives of marginalized communities
• I’m driven by start-up challenges and constraints
• For one year I want to work in India with a small talented team towards making some of the most exciting products in the world

 WHEN DOES THIS JOB START AND FOR HOW LONG?

• Duration is 12 months
• Deadline to apply: 11-06-2019
• Expected start date of activity: 16-07- 2019

 WHAT WILL I LEARN?

The amount of the temporary research fellowship, sponsored by Chime for Change – Gucci campaign to develop gender equality projects, is Euro 19,367 net p.a. You’re not going to become rich but this is a good amount to live in India.

 HOW DO I APPLY?

Click here and get all the application details on Politecnico di Milano website: https://bit.ly/2W1bp8N

To apply,

 IS THERE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS?

Yes! The date of the interview is 25-06-2019 in Milan, Italy.

The interview, aimed at assessing the candidate’s aptitude for the research object of the selection, will be held from 09:30am at the Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento del Design, via Durando 38/A, Milano, Italy.

Candidates with residence or domicile more than 600 km away from the selection location or for particular and justified reasons, can ask to the selection board to sit the interview, on the aforementioned date, in remote mode through the use of audio and video call.

THIS SAYS I’LL BE A RESEARCH FELLOW AND I’M NOT AN ACADEMIC!

This is a public call to tender from our partner, the Politecnico di Milano, hence the academic language.Still you must have the equivalent of a Master of Science in design (“Laurea Magistrale” or related degrees).

WHO WILL I BE WORKING WITH AND WHERE?

You will be working both in Milan with the faculty team of the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano and primarily at the I was a Sari social business’s office in Mumbai, India.You’ll be working closely with our highly driven Italian founder and his Indian team and you’ll be part of a wider international partner ecosystem.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING EXACTLY?

• Keeping up to date with emerging fashion trends as well as general trends relating to fabrics, colours and shapes;
• Managing design process from conception through to final styling;
• Creating or visualising an idea and producing a design by hand and using computer-aided design (CAD);
• Understanding design from a technical perspective, i.e. producing patterns and technical specifications for designs;
• Developing a pattern that is cut and sewn into sample garments and supervising the creation of these, including fitting, detailing and adaptations;
• Sourcing, selecting and buying vintage saris, special fabrics, trims, fastenings and embellishments;
• Sourcing, selecting and buying embroidery materials;
• Selecting saris for each production or range of products;
• Overseeing production;
• Training women artisans on cutting and stitching techniques;
• Organizing workshops on emerging fashion trends, color and prints matching;
• Liaising closely with sales, buying and production teams on an ongoing basis to ensure the item suits the customer, market and price points;
• Calculating product costing;
• Adapting and optimising existing designs;
• Working with buyers to develop products to meet a brief;
• Presenting story, mood, color boards, and samples to buyers;
• Designing visual merchandising and packaging.

The product lines you will create, and guide are:

• Accessories: design and produce items such as handbags, scarves, headpieces and textile jewelry;
• Clothing: mostly women’s apparel, including casual, resort and evening wear;
• Embroidery: select embroidery techniques and embroidery materials matching them with the changing prints and colours of the saris;
• Footwear: different styles of shoes and sandals.

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFO ABOUT THE BRAND?

Please check out https://iwasasari.com/press/ and our social media.

 I NEED HELP!

Please reach out with your specific questions: [email protected]