Niklas Karlsson

Responsible for the research, range building, design and development of Lundhags footwear and backpack collections.

See tasks noted under Junior footwear designer, with extended ownership and responsibility within certain projects, categories and collections.

2013:
-Running category (adults lifestyle)

-Football category (adults lifestyle)

-Women's category (adults lifestyle)

-Entire kids collection

-Reseaching, structuring and conceptualizing competitive footwear collections along side of Lead designer and product manager within categories:

-Adult fashion lifestyle footwear (approx. 130 shoes)
-Kids fashion lifestyle (approx. 100 shoes)

-In depth creation of specifications, tech packs, timelines, graphical artwork and overviews.

-Revising and confirming on created outsole designs, shell patterns, lasts, samples ,materials and colours. Considering quality standards, sales inputs, cost and construction.

-Creating special concepts and SMU products for tier 1 shops and high priority target areas.

-Communicating and presenting concepts and product specifications to development teams in Asia as well as extensive internationational travel to production sites, development centers and fares.

-Designing innovative footwear products in terms of form and function, considering fit, upper shell patterns, materials, colour and graphics.

-Engineering outsoles based on on last shape, material characteristics, textures, toolings and shape.

-Daily utilization of Illustrator and Photoshop at professional level.

-An allround in depth knowledge of footwear upper materials, manufacturing processes, as well as outsole technologies and constructions.

-Presenting full collections and design concepts at prototype meetings for key markets as well as sales conference bi-annually to entire company staff.

In 2010 I was fortunate enough to be selected for a 1 year, paid footwear design internship at Hummel after a series of mini projects, interviews and visits, competing with several hundred other applicants.
The internship was for a year, I was promoted to junior footwear designer after 10 months. A fantastic learning experience on all levels.

The focus points of the internship were:

- Researching and delivering mood boards across specified product
categories in preparation for creative kickoffs.

- Analysing and composing of seasonal color and material trends.

- To explore and communicate performance and fashion category
footwear product ideations consistent with consumer, functional
and aesthetic brand specific objectives.

- To execute and deliver product specifications and tech packs.

- Help prepare sales selling in material and attend design review gate
meetings and global sales conferences.

- Learn and gain insights into how footwear collections are
constructed in terms of price points and categories.

- Gain a broad knowledge of footwear construction and
development. With emphasis toward lasts, fit,
proportions, shell patterns, trimmings, and cost.

-Communication as well as travel to asia to work together with factories on footwear development.

An inspiring and educative environment where I got to work a lot on my visualization skills in Maya, Hypershot, Zbrush and Photoshop.

A great look into an effective pipeline for high end visual production which I’ve really integrated into my own design workflow.

During my employment with Manpower I worked as a consultant for two companies:
-Vattenfall (1 yrs 6 months)
-Bredbandsbolaget (Telenor). (6 months)

My responsibilities at Vattenfall's Supplier change department included providing customer care, technical support, invoices as well as contract sales.

At Bredbandsbolaget (Telenor) I provided technical support to their DSL and fiber customers.

Written recommendation from Manpower:

"Niklas has worked for us as a consultant at several of our customers and he has strongly met all the requirements that are expected of our employees. Both our clients and us have been pleased with him.
Niklas has now resigned on his own request and we give him our recommendations."

Umeå, 1st sep. 2008
Manpower
-Elin Mikaelsson, Consultant manager