Contact Report: Helen Latimer & Nigel Warren

After I completed my last brief, which was to design a range for Lyle & Scott I presented my finished collection to Helen Latimer and Nigel Warren. Helen has designed for Umbro, Le coq sportif and Sergio Tacchini amongst others. Nigel is working for Mosquito and has a history of working at Whittards tea & coffee.

Together they viewed my collection, portfolio and DVD whilst I discussed my design process and finished outcomes. They then together discussed my presentation and work and I received feedback shortly after from what Helen and Nigel had said combined.

The feedback was given to me in a list, which read:

• DVD research ideas are great, as industry use this media. Consider putting into book format as to avoid technical problems & allow industry to see your work easily.

• Blown up images (Large designs) on boards looked fantastic – Arty feel.

• Market research good, fabric and application research helped to explain ideas.

• Understood brief, designs fitted clients style. Really good felt the project was clear and met brief.

• Push how designs can work as a collection/range.

• Look at details on garments, i.e. stitch details etc. Also badge applications, what’s new in the market?

• Explain graphic application – print, embroidery, yarns, dye etc.


I’m delighted with this feedback, and alongside the feedback I was given from John Tate at Lyle & Scott, it’s really helpful to me as I approach my final project. Feedback from the industry is the only way I will improve as a designer and become produce more professional output.

After I received this feedback from Helen and Nigel, I was in contact with Helen again and she sat down with me to discuss my portfolio and show me hers. She offered me advice as to how I would present a collection to an employer. Helen suggested that I should literally show 6 sheets of work from a collection, 2 sheets of photographic research and influence, 2 sheets of my most successful designs and visualizations, an example of a spec sheets and a sheet that shows how my garments would be used together as an outfit. Helen's portfolio was similar, she had a variety of her different jobs and collections in one portfolio and showed examples of her skills on illustrator, her understanding of fabrics and their constructions and her portfolio was so concise and informative with design skills.

I met with Helen again the week after, and she showed me examples how she has produced a check repeat on illustrator and she explained to me the technique used to produce it. I then practised this technique throughout the day whilst discussing my major project with Helen. She gave me some very interesting pointers, suggesting that instead of designing for an existing brand, I could create my own which would specialize in the the themes I was interested in. I hope to stay in touch with Helen because her advice was very useful and I believe that she could be very helpful for me in discovering new contacts in this area of design who could hopefully keep offering me advice and opportunities.