I am a global design director with over 20 years experience in luxury brands and commercial leadership. As a graduate in both Design and Art from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, my creative and technical skills have led to a number of exciting professional roles. The portfolio of brands I have directed is wide-ranging, yet the common thread is the success of the design teams I have led and the people I have mentored. I consider this my greatest achievement.

The time spent at Donna Karan, Anna Sui and Vera Wang expanded both my creativity and passion for translating trends of the moment into the most luxurious products. My unique way of defining and establishing trends of the season was shaped by my work at these brands. With my experience with Hunkemöller, Triumph and Tommy Hilfiger came invaluable insights and knowledge of the mass market and the retail space.

 

My roles have taken me across the globe, from NYC to Germany to Tokyo. Most recently, my path took me to Amsterdam to help transform a legacy brand and secure its place as the top high street lingerie brand in Europe. Having the chance to work globally has broadened my perspective on areas of design that matter so much to me, like inclusivity, female empowerment and body positivity.

I have always been passionate about music, architecture, the arts, travel and, of course, fashion. Being fortunate to really love what I do, I am always working and always being inspired. My inspirations come from travelling around the globe, from observing people on the subway and listening to music, just to name a few. Living in cities on the pulse like NYC, Tokyo and now London has put me directly in touch with what’s most exciting about fashion to me: change and constant re-invention.

In 2020 I realised that what excites me the most about my work is setting up new brands, establishing the handwriting and the DNA of these brands, or re-launching brands that need a change. I enjoy being able to dive deep into a brand’s identity and direct the aesthetic or set the stage, so to speak, in a way that the designers and merchandisers have a clear path to follow. I decided to focus my skills and experience on helping brands and individuals realise their design potential and that is when Andrew Lane Consultancy was born.

I have been fortunate to work with some amazing brands and every role has changed me for the better. However, my greatest satisfaction comes from seeing the change in the creative process of the designers I have gotten to know. I find that, in order to make the best product, you need to first make the team you work with both empowered and confident in their own voice.

At Andrew Lane Consultancy, I bring about change – and that’s an exciting way to work.


Sustainable fashion

Range building

Customer focused design

Market research 

Trend forecasting 

Building seasonal colour stories

Mood boards 

Fittings

Development of a brands DNA

Fashion sketching 

Fabric research and innovation 

Team building 

Mentoring 

Styling 

My first industry job started as an internship while studying at FIT. Working at Narciso I focused on draping, patterns and designing shoes for his collections. I was part of the team working on the launch of his famous perfume “For Her”.  Narciso taught me the value of fitting and construction like no other. Skills I still use to this day. 

Vera wanted a designer who was new to lingerie to help launch her bridal inspired line. I joined this team after years previously working in RTW and came with a new eye to the industry. Vera’s aesthetic was quirky and unexpected at the time, but now some 20 years later has become almost a norm in the industry. At the time we were one of the first to use sustainable fabrics, seamless and raw cut goods. We also introduced to the market the first laser cut lingerie, that is now everywhere in the market, but 20 years ago it was really quite revolutionary.

Designing the prestigious LVMH owned brand Donna Karan was a true highlight in my career. Working alongside Donna herself we created the most Luxe lingerie and nightwear brand ever. Sold in London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and the NYC for a truly global luxury customer. 

Washed silks, Chantilly lace, hand beading and more were just some of the touches added to her line. Donna mentored me, and to this day is one of my greatest moments as a designer.

Working on one of the most fun loving American brands, always youthful and preppy, my time at Tommy was a blast. I launched Tommy Sport and Tommy Girl alongside the RTW teams.

Working closely with Tommy himself, I was able to inject the spirit of his RTW collections into the lingerie and nightwear sold all across the world.

Triumph Europe  Together with Jos Berry (industry trend forecaster), I helped re brand this heritage brand to be relevant in today’s market. My focus was building the swim and nightwear teams, and did so with the introduction of classic items still sold today at all Triumph stores. 

Triumph Asia – My time here took this heritage European brand Triumph and elevated it to a premium status for Asia. Focusing on fit, innovation and quality, I reinvented the brand and all the sub brands to a modern yet timeless level. Most proud of the work done on Florale, which was able to overtake the luxury market for all of Asian lingerie. 

Anna and I spent time to launch a swim line with her retro and bohemian touch. I worked closely with her RTW design team, and even introduced looks to her NYC FW runway. Seen on Katy Perry and  Miley Cyrus in Malibu and Hawaii, the Anna Sui swim was one of a kind.

Maxim; looking to rebrand themselves as a classy yet sexy brand hired Kate Lanphear, editor of NYT,  Glamour and even Vogue Australia, together with myself. This was one of my proudest moments in design. We showcased a Bridget Bardot inspired collection at the prestigious Miami SLS South Bech hotel. 

Established a more refined handwriting for the brand as well as a more focused direction for all the sub brands. I turned HKMX around, introduced true technical designs that focused on innovation and performance. Before leaving the brand, I helped launch a new Gen Z brand called P.O.P, that aimed to attract a new younger demographic. The annual Runway Show was all about the spirit of sisterhood and inclusivity, sending a positive yet sexy message to the women of Europe.