Role Call | Benjamin Schwab, Design Director

There are few sectors of the economy that offer as wide and interesting a range of career opportunities as fashion. Role Call highlights some of the industry’s most interesting jobs and the talented people who do them. For more information about fashion industry roles like this and others, visit BoF Careers.

LONDON, United Kingdom — Benjamin Schwab is the design director for London-based knitwear brand Wool and the Gang. After studying graphic design in Switzerland, Schwab completed a master's degree in communication design at Central Saint Martins. Upon graduation he joined DigitasLbi, a global digital marketing and technology agency, where he worked for over five years on the digital experiences of brands such as Virgin Atlantic, Marks & Spencer and Macmillan Cancer Support. In 2010, Schwab co-founded design studio 'We Draw Lines', a collaborative space, with fellow graphic designer Paul Bailey. He joined Wool and the Gang as senior designer in 2013, when he was responsible for designing the brand's digital and offline experiences. He was promoted to design director in July 2015.

BoF: Please describe your current role.

I am the design director at Wool and the Gang, a knitwear brand based in East London. We're a start-up with a tight team so I’m involved in lots of different things. Mainly, I’m responsible for delivering an excellent design experience across Wool and the Gang. As a fashion brand, our online experience is key and this is where we engage with our community. Our e-commerce is our shop window so we’re constantly developing across all digital devices. Our offline experience is a continuation of this — it’s where the knit magic happens! My role is to make this a memorable branded experience through packaging, tools and other printed products. On top of this, I provide direction and input into video, photography and other creative materials.

BoF: What attracted you to the role?

I knew I wanted to work in fashion. It’s an industry that has always excited me on many different levels, whether it's the brand vision, photography, fashion illustration or runway shows. Despite this, my very first job was in a different industry. I worked at DigitasLbi, a global digital marketing and technology agency, for five years. It armed me with a lot more experience in digital and when I returned to fashion, at Wool and the Gang, I was able to combine all the elements I had learnt along the way. As soon as I met Jade and Aurelie, the co-founders of Wool and the Gang, I fell in love with the brand and its vision. As a fashion brand powered by the hands-on DIY movement, it gave me the chance to work for a brand with a big heart. It’s fashion produced differently. We see ourselves as fashion rebels striving to make a change in the fashion industry. It’s fun to go to work every day when you believe you're making a difference.

Knowing your own weaknesses and strengths, as well as those of the people around you, will help you find solutions to deliver the work.

BoF: What is the most exciting project or initiative you have worked on?

Our first collaboration with British fashion designer Giles Deacon was very exciting. The way we work as a brand allows us to be reactive and we have an extremely fast turnaround, from concept to finished garment. From one day to another, we had 30 knitters in the office, knitting bespoke pieces for the show and even had the opportunity to teach models Cara Delevingne, Edie Campbell and Kendall Jenner how to knit backstage! Cara walked down the runway wearing our iconic beanie — there were so many highs in such little time. It was amazing to see what we could achieve within a small timeframe and budget when you have the right team. It was truly something to remember.

BoF: How is your role changing? What are the forces driving this change?

I think Wool and the Gang has a very interesting story to tell. Everything we do is made by hand. Whether you get one of our Knit Kits to make your own piece or get a ready made piece hand-crafted by one of our makers around the world, our customers support fashion that’s produced in a sustainable way. Fast fashion and ethical buying means that people want more information upfront. They want to hear about where products are from and how they are made too. My role here is to bring that story to life through design and our whole brand experience. Whether it’s with the packaging, the labels stitched in our clothes, our e-commerce site or any other platform we’re engaging with, my challenge is to make sustainable design sexy and our mission exciting.

Secondly, we’re a very sociable brand and we’ve always put our community to the very front of what we do. Because our brand is so much about making, we constantly encourage our community to share their progress as well as their finished pieces.

Lastly, we are currently seeing a huge opportunity in the video market. The demand is getting higher and higher. We already have a big following on YouTube with our video tutorials, and we’re working on it more and more. The big challenge here is how can we stand out in an already saturated channel and how can we make sure our brand shines through? We’re working on lots of different types of video content, such as behind the scenes and product demos. What’s important to note here is that we do everything in-house, so we’re learning as we are making. It’s a very exciting position to be in.

BoF: Tell us about a time you failed and how you learned from it.

An example of where I failed was at the beginning of my career here, when I was too focused on short lived projects, as opposed to the longer term experience. What I’ve learnt is that sometimes, you need to think about the bigger picture and save your heart and soul for what’s next, instead of focusing solely on the short term. In a small structure like ours, the amount of work is an ever-growing beast, so you quite often realise that you lack man power and that time is very precious. Sometimes you find yourself pulled in every direction. In this fast-paced environment, it’s important to learn how to stay organised, to prioritise and always be aware of how your work impacts the work of others. Knowing your own weaknesses and strengths, as well as those of the people around you, will help you find solutions to deliver the work. Most of the time, it’s a team effort. Giving clear directions and specific feedback at relevant times will help to save time.

BoF: What advice do you have for people who are interested in doing what you do?

The best advice I can give is to work hard, be helpful and be resourceful. Have the confidence to move beyond what’s familiar and learn to broaden your skill set. Have a well-rounded approach to your practise, a better understanding of what you do and how it fits into the wider business. Most importantly, don’t forget to be nice. Work needs to be fun. You’ll enjoy your work a lot more and you’ll get the best out of people too.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

For more information about fashion industry roles like this and others, visit BoF Careers.