Pattern Cutter & Grading Specialist

ABOUT VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Vivienne Westwood is one of the most iconic British fashion brands, renowned for its heritage, innovative design, and commitment to culture and activism. We care deeply about our people and the environment, and our core values — Gaia, Quality not Quantity, Activism, Culture & Heritage — guide us daily. If you share our passion for creativity, sustainability, and innovation, we’d love to hear from you.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Pattern Cutter & Grading Specialist plays a critical role in translating creative concepts into commercially viable, production-ready garments. Working closely with Design, Product Development, Atelier and Production teams, the role is responsible for creating and maintaining accurate patterns, grading specifications and technical solutions throughout the product lifecycle.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create first patterns from design sketches, technical drawings and development briefs across bridal, evening wear and special projects.
• Develop and maintain production-ready master patterns to the highest quality standards.
• Produce toiles and prototype garments as required to support garment development and fit evaluation.
• Amend and refine patterns throughout the development process following design reviews and fit sessions.
• Attend fittings and provide technical solutions to achieve the desired silhouette, fit and construction.
• Grade patterns across agreed size ranges, ensuring consistency of fit and proportion.
• Review graded patterns and size sets, identifying and resolving grading issues before production approval.
• Work closely with Product Development and Production teams to ensure patterns are suitable for manufacturing.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation relating to garment construction, measurements and specifications.
• Collaborate with internal and external manufacturers to resolve technical challenges during sampling and production.
• Support quality assurance activities by reviewing construction methods, fit standards and production samples.
• Ensure all patterns, amendments and technical files are accurately archived and maintained.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of pattern cutting, grading and development processes.

(Please note this is not an exhaustive list of duties and you may be required to perform additional duties to fulfil the requirements of the role)

PROFILE & KEY SKILLS

• Significant experience in luxury fashion pattern cutting and garment development.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, fit, grading methodologies and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working across tailored, soft and structured product categories.
• Ability to create patterns manually and digitally using industry-standard pattern cutting software.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Confident participating in fit sessions and communicating technical solutions to cross-functional teams.
• Experience collaborating with design, development, production and external manufacturing partners.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and seasonal deadlines.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Passion for craftsmanship, quality and luxury product development.

BENEFITS

• Staff discounts
• Health & Wellbeing support (includes Private Medical Health Insurance, EAP, Gym Discounts, Access to Financial Planning Service, etc.)
• Perkbox Discounts and Wellness Hub
• Cycle to work scheme
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Pension Scheme
• Training and hands-on experience
• Opportunities to build new skills and gain valuable industry knowledge

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, so we recommend applying early to avoid missing out.

Vivienne Westwood is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by local government laws. For our privacy statement please visit this link