Nordstrom

Assistant Designer (Women’s Footwear)

TREND RESEARCH | MARKET RESEARCH | CONTENT MANAGEMENT | TECHNICAL WRITING | SPEC COPY

As a whole, the company was transitioning from seasonal to monthly collections.

Designers needed help with content management for 10 in-house brands.

Challenges

  • Because manufacturing was overseas, shipping accounted for a good portion of the product cycle timeline. In other words, fewer revisions allowed.

  • Goal: organize and manage design content for three designers and account managers through all phases of development.

Introducing the Problem

Product Spec Samples

Treasure & Bond
Farrah Studded Bootie

Details

  • Tiny stud detailing

  • Raw edge topline

  • 2 1/2" heel (size 8.5)

  • 5 1/2" shaft

  • Back zip closure

  • Leather upper/synthetic lining and sole

  • Imported

Treasure & Bond
Rainey Mule

Details

  • Pointed, closed toe

  • Leopard print

  • Leather upper/synthetic lining and sole

  • Imported

Solution

How do you differentiate 10+ in-house brands within the same company?

  • Using Adobe Bridge, I organized runway, ready-to-wear and trade show inspiration for each brand as mood boards were developed.

  • Competing market research and emerging trends tailored to demographics for each brand helped to differentiate look and feel while providing the necessary visuals for buy-in presentations.

  • Since the product timeline grew significantly shorter, repurposing the same silhouette with different colors, prints, textures became critical to updating the design process.

Results

After presentations for women’s footwear, the director of kidswear asked if I could help with with their market trend research.

Account managers started to request product spec copy for the copy team. This was the turning point to pivot from apparel design to copywriting in my next roles.