Welcome to our Coffee Table Chats.. our casual, behind-the-scenes conversations where we get to know the people who make our brand unique. Today, we’re excited to be meeting Luane, our expert in material sourcing!
Hi everyone! I'm Luane, the Product Design Manager here at Clutch Made. As a manager, I'm also in charge of sourcing beautiful, high-quality materials for our clients. The Clutch Made team sent me some questions for this coffee chat and I think they will be great for you to get to know me and our Sourcing Department a bit better.
Can you share a bit about your background and how you ended up in the world of material sourcing?
I have a BA in Fashion and have worked in a few different brands. I always tried to focus on the construction process, so anything from designing to sourcing, to paternmaking and sewing pieces together. I feel like knowing the entire process allows me to better understand materials and to know which ones are the best for each accessory.
What does a typical day look like for you in the sourcing department?
On sourcing days, it's important to start by carefully reviewing the tech pack and the information provided by the client on what they want their accessory to look like. When necessary, we send a list confirming colors, textures, and hardware finishes clients want on their product. Then, we just need to go over all our vendors and make sure we find the best materials for that project before sending them for review.
How do you stay updated with the latest trends and innovations in materials?
I tried to keep in the loop with research and innovation portals, like WGSN, but believe it or not we actually learn a lot when sourcing for projects. Our clients are so creative and keep asking for things that seem impossible - until we do some research and learn that there's actually a new material that will do that impossible thing they asked for.
Can you walk us through the process of selecting materials for a new collection?
It really depends on the client's requests, but it includes a lot of talking to vendors, going through catalogues, and putting options together in submit packages. We put the best and most appropriate materials together so our clients can make their selection after reviewing them.
How do you ensure that the materials you source align with both quality standards and sustainability goals?
Sustainabilty looks different for everyone - some people focus more on plastic free, while other focus on origin of the material, or how much impact it will have on the environment once it's no longer being used. Quality needs to always be there, no matter what, but for sustainability it's really important to have a conversation with the client to understand what they stand for - the Let's Talk call we have with them in the begining of the process is usually when we go over this.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in material sourcing?
Listen to your client and network. It's so important to pay attention to what your client is looking for and to align their expectations to what is actually available. And it's also important to have a great relationship with your vendors so they keep you in the loop.
What’s your favorite part of the job, and what keeps you excited about working in material sourcing?
My favorite part is seeing the samples ready and knowing clients love the final result. It confirms how perfect those materials were for their design and vision. Here's my favorite sample from the past few weeks. We has to contact some new vendors to get the materials just right and it definitely paid off.
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