CV, Samuel Williams

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samueljcwilliams@gmail.com

PROFILE

Footwear and CMF designer with nine years across Nike, Lacoste, and independent studio practice. Currently freelance at Lacoste on SMU and special projects, following nearly four years leading colour and material design for SMUs and key accounts across EMEA, APAC, LATAM, and NORCAM. Translates account briefs and regional consumer insight into commercially compelling product for each market, and manages a high volume of concurrent briefs with structure and discipline, from trend research through material specification, sample review, and buyer-facing presentation. Experienced shaping ways of working in young teams, having built a studio's creative identity and operations from the ground up.

EXPERIENCE

Lacoste · Footwear Designer: CMF, SMU & Special Projects

Freelance, September 2026 – Dember 2026 (FTC)

Invited back to the same remit as a CMF specialist, picking up live SMU and special project work on short timelines with no handover or onboarding.

Colour and material direction across men’s, women’s and kids’ projects
Attending design and proto reviews in Paris

Lacoste PCL · Footwear Designer: CMF I & II · Special Make Ups & Collaborations

Permanent, September 2022 – June 2026

Worked primarily off-calendar across SMUs, quick-strike projects, and collaborations as well as feeding into mainline, designing across multiple global markets simultaneously. Translated distinct consumer behaviours, account briefs, and commercial pressures into footwear that worked for each region: APAC sourcing and trend cycles, US entry price architecture, EMEA key account complexity, and LATAM account development, keeping design coherence across all four.

Led colour and material direction across footwear for EMEA, APAC, LATAM, and NORCAM markets, working across different regional rhythms, price points, and retail contexts within a single product range
Designed new uppers and developed shell pattern amends across mens, womens, and kids footwear, working beyond CMF into construction and last development
Ownership of the US market and Entry Price Point offering end to end, balancing commercial value, account expectations (Macy's), and design integrity across a fast-moving brief cycle
Developed graphics, prints, and trims in response to key account briefs and seasonal direction, translating regional cultural references into product across Courir, Zalando, JD, Foot Locker, Spitz, and Novus
Part of a retail research task force conducting market visits across the UK, Europe, and Asia, feeding live consumer insight directly back into design and colour strategy
Contributed to a women's task force defining a capsule collection to sharpen brand perspective and build a stronger commercial offer

Notable: Roland-Garros French Open · Miami Open · Madrid Open · Rolex Paris Masters

Collaborations: END. · Maison Chateau Rouge · FP Movement · CLOT · Highsnobiety · Atmos · Wang Yibo · Evaqueen

Applied Research Creative Studio (A-R-C-S) · Project Lead

October 2019 – September 2022

Led the creative direction at A-R-C-S, a studio working across strategy, place branding, art and culture, and public realm activation. Based at Coal Drops Yard leading Kiosk N1C, building a cultural programme from the ground up and shaping the identity of the space through community, commerce, and collaboration. A-R-C-S became a certified B Corp during this period, with community and environment at the centre of the work.

Defined the studio's creative identity, establishing brand, tone of voice, and the cultural point of view that ran through every activation, market, and commission
Conceived and grew a recurring street market from initial idea into an established programme, curating the mix of makers, traders, and collaborators to give it a distinct character
Commissioned limited-run products with independent makers, leading the creative relationship from brief to delivery
Built and led a multidisciplinary team, directly managing a social media manager, two project assistants, two market managers, and event and retail staff across concurrent live projects
Established the operational foundations, workflows, scheduling, and production processes to keep fast-moving projects on track

Clients & Collaborators: Serpentine Gallery · Blue Note Records · BEAMS · Granby Workshop · Sarabande Foundation · Mentivity · Bethany Williams · VenturaForeman · Earl of East

Brave Bison Creative · Talent Manager

December 2018 – September 2019

Sourcing and managing talent across branded content and experiential projects for clients including Uniqlo, BBC, and Ellesse. Shoot production end to end.

NikeLab Bespoke iD (Nike Inc.) · Bespoke Design Consultant

February 2017 – December 2018 (returned 2019)

Running a bespoke design studio within Nike, taking clients from a starting point to a fully resolved creative narrative. Each project was a complete design package: curated material palette, custom graphics, and an experiential wrapper built around the client's brief. High volume, high expectation, no two projects the same.

Led the creative development of each bespoke project end to end, translating client briefs into a design story across materials, graphics, and finish
Sourced exclusive materials and developed custom graphics to support each client's creative direction
Managed timelines, BOMs, factory communication, and production schedules across a high volume of concurrent projects
Delivered end-to-end ownership across high-profile campaigns and collaborations

Campaigns & Collaborators: Patta Asia Tour & Patta By You · Maharishi By You · Sneakersnstuff · Women's Blazer By You · Dashing Tweeds

Independent · Self-Published Zines

2020, 2026

Author and designer of self-published photo zines, including "We Now Copy All Fobs" (2026, paper signage) and "Vanzines" (vols 1-4, 2020, UK vans). Stocked in independent shops including Lock Books, Tender Books, Hato Store and Margate Gift Shop.

Earlier Experience

Office / Offspring · Assistant Store Manager · Carhartt WIP / Foot Locker · Store Assistant · Otherway · Studio Manager

EDUCATION

BA (Hons) Fine Art Practice (2:1)

Goldsmiths, University of London

Foundation Diploma Art & Design (Film)

London College of Communication

SKILLS

CREATIVE LEADERSHIP

Creative & studio direction

Team leadership & development

Presentation & storytelling

Brand identity & tone of voice

Copywriting

DESIGN & PRODUCT

Colour & materials strategy

Graphics & print development

Upper design & pattern amends

Tech packs & BOMs

Factory & supplier relationships

Cross-functional collaboration

PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS

Project & studio management

Budget management

Shoot production & logistics

Talent sourcing & casting

Placemaking & activation

TOOLS

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma & Affinity

PLM (DESL & Centric) & Excel

Claude, NewArc, Midjourney

DaVinci Resolve

Full UK driving licence · References available on request