Meet Tanya, our sister company ivivva athletica's product developer. Read below to get a sneak peek into a day in her life!
7 am - I’m busing to the office, with A New Earth in my lap. lululemon’s book club, Bibliophilia, is focusing on chapter 3 this week: The Core of Ego. Reading on my commute is a great opportunity to get some perspective before the momentum of the day takes hold.
8 am - I open my inbox to a flood of emails. Our off-shore factory partners have responded to the requests for samples and questions about garment construction that I sent the night before. We are on a tight schedule, so it’s important that my correspondence is as clear and thorough as possible.
9:30 am - It’s time to prepare sample packages to send to our vendors. Based on comments made at the yesterday’s fitting, I update the technical sketches and bill of materials for each style. I am working against a deadline, as the parcels need to be at reception before FedEx arrives!
12:30 pm - I head down to the Store Support Centre’s yoga studio for an energizing Vinyasa class. A yoga break keeps me sharp and motivated for the rest of the day!
1:30 pm - I grab my lunch and meet with ivivva athletica’s designer, Jennie Lam, to fit samples on a mannequin. Today’s agenda includes approving pre-production samples for Winter 2009 and marking new design lines on styles for Summer 2010. Yesterday we fit size runs, my favourite type of fitting! When a style is close to being finalized, we will order a prototype in every size we plan to carry. Fit models, sized 6-12, will visit the office to test each style’s fit, function and comfort level. It is amazing to meet the end users of our products (and their parents!). We get great feedback from these sessions that influences future decisions and helps to elevate the line.
2:30 pm - The remainder of the day is dedicated to colourways. Each season, it is the product developer’s responsibility to record every colourway a style is offered in, as well as the colours of every fabric and trim in each of those versions. With over 70 styles planned, it is a meticulous job, but I love how strategic I need to be to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
5:00 pm - It’s a brisk, sunny day, so I slip on my running shoes and jog the 10km home. It’s the perfect time to set goals for the day ahead and to revel in the beauty of our city!
Inspired to have a similiar day as Tanya? Check out an amazing new opportunity that we have just posted - the role of product developer for ivivva athletica!
Want to learn more about ivivva? Check out their website or new Facebook Page!
