Max Summerskill

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Dweet
Available

Max Summerskill

Product Director | Independent Consultant | Experienced across product development, sourcing, production, design, quality management | Luxury | High end | Menswear | Accessories

Current Location

London, UK

Max is available for work

I am an accomplished Product Director with over 25 years experience and a proven track record working for both large corporations and a more recent focus on consultancy and freelance projects with SMEs and start ups. Demonstrated ability to effectively manage the entire product development lifecycle with extensive product development, sourcing, production, and quality management experience across men’s ready to wear and accessories.

Adept at developing strategy, managing calendar, set brief, margin and European/Asian supply bases. Strong history of leading large cross-functional teams and managing the critical path to deliver top-quality collections on time and on budget.

My approach is both organised and pragmatic to deliver innovative, relevant and profitable solutions, on time and to brief. For larger projects, I have the ability to draw on a versatile network of talent owing to an extensive international contact list extending across all areas of the luxury & high end menswear and accessories industry.

  • Brands Max has worked with
    • Connolly
    • T.M.Lewin
    • Trunk Clothiers
    • MR PORTER
    • Trinity Group
    • Crumpler
    • ECCO Shoes
    • Belstaff
    • Alfred Dunhill
    • Product Director - Menswear & Acessories
    • Hackett London
    • Head of Menswear Buying & Product Development
  • Max's past titles
    • Production Director
    • Product Consultant
    • Brand Marketing Consultant
    • Product Development Consultant
    • Brand Strategy Consultant
    • Creative Consultant
    • Brand Strategy Consultant
    • Business Development Consultant
    • Director Of Marketing And Product Management
    • Director Of Marketing And Product Management
    • General Manager Manufacturing
    • General Merchandise Manager
    • Head Of Product Development
    • Head Of Buying
    • Menswear Designer
Work Preference
Location Preference

To be discussed

Work Pattern

Open to Full time or Part time work

Employment Preference
  • Freelance Assignments
  • Hourly Consulting
  • Permanent Positions
Experience

Product Development & Production Director

Connolly

Jul 2015 - Present

Working with the owner since the re-launch of the brand in 2016 on all aspects of the business. From sourcing through to distribution and ecommerce.

Brand Building I Strategic Planning l Pricing l So...

Product Development Consultant

T.M.Lewin

Jun 2018 - Apr 2020

Brought in by the previous CEO and owners to revitalise their casualwear offer.

Design l Product Development l Styling I

https://nicolarusted.myportfolio.com/tm-lewin

Brand Development Consultant

Trunk Clothiers

Jun 2017 - Oct 2018

Set up the supply base and product range for the Trunk own brand offer for clothing & leathergoods.

Sourcing l Supplier Management l Design l Product Development l Critical Path Management l Budget M...

Product Development Consultant - Kingsman Collection

MR PORTER

Jun 2017 - Jan 2018

Development of leathergoods for the Kingsman collection.

Sourcing l Supplier Management l Product Development l Critical Path Management l Budget Management

https://www.mrporter.com/

Brand Strategy Consultant

Trinity Group

Jun 2015 - Mar 2017

Developed a strategy and then managed the development of leathergoods for the Gieves & Hawkes, Cerruti and Kent & Curwen brands.

Peter Stockdale

CEO, Crumpler

Had a client/business relationship

Max worked with our brand as a Creative Consultant and delivered exceptional service, insights and direction that were not available to us internally. He helped the brand understand how far we could take our current categories but also how far we could legitimately push into new categories. Max has a great work style that is open, effective and approachable. His ability to enhance existing teams is an asset to any organisation.

Robert Mancini

Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Alfred Dunhill

Senior colleague

Over the many years Max and I worked together, Max was always a great thought partner and supporter of what the business needed to succeed. His skills, product knowledge and commercial understanding of the business helped navigate solutions in a very helpful way.

Sven Gaede

, T.M.Lewin

Had a client/business relationship

Max is a true professional with a solid network and strong product knowledge across several clothing and non clothing product categories. He has a strong work ethic and a team spirit. He was an invaluable member of the product team that transformed our product proposition.

Mats Klingberg

Owner/Founder, Trunk Clothiers

Had a client/business relationship

Max came to Trunk with a great wealth of experience of menswear product development and was instrumental in the first steps of turning the Trunk own label into a significant part of our edit of great brands from around the world. Max is very well connected with the best suppliers and is also a true joy to work with, so can highly recommend.

  • Brand Development

  • Product Development

  • Sourcing and Collaboration

  • Product Director

  • Luxury & Fashion Industry

  • Operations Management

  • Creative Direction

  • Menswear

English

Fluent

Not specified.

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