Gifts Design Talent Pool - *Internal Only*

Introduction

Handmade is at the heart of Lush. So, when it comes to our seasonal range we really do want to knock our customers' socks off. We get our hands dirty collaging, painting, inking and sticking - all the messy, magical bits you used to love as a child - in a bid to make gifts that have stories as well as style.

Large or small, each gift is carefully thought out and crafted, from the handmade treats nestled inside, to the final tie of the ribbon. We'd love to say that we make beautiful presents by hand just for the joy of it, but we must confess it's not entirely without motive. It's our hope that by paying so much attention to every aspect from box to bath, the lucky recipient has extra incentive to keep the boxes, reuse the wrapping paper or upcycle the ribbons. We're not manufacturing throwaway fillers but keepsakes that we hope our customers will treasure.

Timeline & Important Dates

Design submission deadline - Friday 10th January 2025
Feedback received and chosen attendees contacted by - Friday 17th January 2025
Meet the Gift design team and a run through of what is to be expected - Wednesday 29th January 2025
Virtual workshop week - 3rd -14th February 2025 - 9am-5pm Monday to Friday UK time, 40 hour week x 2.

Application Deliverables

1. A digital portfolio of your work with examples of surface pattern design, illustration and any gift ideas you have created (we will not accept original pieces at this stage). Please feel free to include a link to your website, Instagram or Behance.
2. A short summary of who you are and why you would like to be considered for the gifts talent pool.
3. Your Lush email address to contact you on (and a personal email if you're happy to share it).
4. Please let us know if you would like us to retain your portfolio and contact information for future projects by joining our Talent Pool.
5. (If you have any product ideas please don't submit these with your application - we won't be developing other products outside of gift design within the Talent Pool. If you have product ideas keep a lookout for Lush's Co-Create workstream).

What's Next & Expectations

What do you get from this?
This is a learning experience and a chance to develop a range of new skills.

You get an insight into the creative process of a commercial design team and the opportunity to collaborate with other teams within Lush.

You will develop communication skills, by giving and receiving feedback. Design skills by receiving guidance and regular check-ins from our in-house designers and lead creatives.

You will be paid for the week and any further development work you do with us after the virtual workshop week. (see pay for the workshop week below)

You will also be included in the Gift bonus scheme for the Christmas range if you get any designs into the final range.

If you are not successful on this occasion you will receive feedback on your submission, there will also be an opportunity to join our Talent Pool which we will be using throughout the year to collaborate with lots of internal talented designers across the business.

What do we get from this?

We see the Talent Pool and workshops as a great way to collaborate with all the creative people that work for Lush. By doing this we bring in new ideas and styles that keep the gift range fresh and exciting!

What happens when you are chosen?

If your design submission is successful, you will be invited to join our gift design, buying and R&D packaging teams for a virtual workshop week, taking place 3rd -14th February 2025 - 9am-5pm Monday to Friday UK time. The gift design team will contact successful submissions by email by Friday 17th January. All submissions receive feedback.

These dates cannot be moved so if you apply you must be available for this week and you will need to check with your Manager before committing.

What is a virtual workshop week?

If you are successful you will receive an email outlining what will happen during the virtual workshop week, including google invites to each workshop which include the link to the google hangout (video call).

We kick our virtual workshop week off on a Monday with introductions to the teams and this is a chance for you to introduce yourself to them (just a quick hello and say your name, nothing formal). We take you through the workshop week plan (which you will be emailed in advance), and show you inspirational images that you can use during the week to inspire designs. We also take you through the many tools we use during the week.
A typical virtual workshop runs between 1-2 hours long, during this time a brief is presented and attendees are split into groups to discuss and sketch ideas. You are in no way expected to produce a finished design by the end of each workshop. Towards the end of each workshop we regroup and present our ideas to the other groups. In this time you are expected to give feedback to others and you will receive feedback on your ideas and sketches.

In between workshops (off camera) you are instructed to take this time to develop ideas, this may be ideas that came from a workshop or developing a design from the inspiration images. Again you are in no way expected to produce a print-ready design, this is what our in-house designers will help you do if one of your designs is chosen to be taken forward and developed after the virtual workshop week.

We will also have regular check-ins during the week to make sure you are ok and understand what is expected of you, and give you direction on anything we have seen of yours that we would love you to develop.

What do I need to participate in the virtual workshop week?

As this week is all online and through video calls you will need to have access to a laptop that has a camera, a microphone and internet connection. If you don't have this access we can send you a loan laptop (Please provide at least one week's notice). You will also need to be able to take pictures/scans of any sketches or designs you create and upload them. Another thing we do within the video calls is share our screens in google hangouts, we can show you how to share your screen if you do not know already how to do this. Sharing your screen in a video call will easily allow you to show what you have worked on without having to hold any physical drawings up to the camera, which is often too small or blurry to show detail.

We also send out workshop packs that include sketch pads, pen and pencils and any other items that may help during specific workshops.

If you are outside of the UK we will send you a list of potential items you may need, this can be recharged by your department/shop.

Any materials and digital software can be used to make work during the workshop week.

What happens after the virtual workshop week?

After the virtual workshop week the in-house design team will regroup and discuss designs that we wish to develop further. If any of your designs are chosen we will email you with a brief which includes the design or designs we wish you to develop, how long we estimate this should take, any supporting material and deadlines. We will also organise a virtual catch up to discuss this, this is a chance for you to ask questions and for us to check that you know what is expected of you.

Once you have set up your designs to the specifications in the brief our in-house designers will then mock up the design physically and we will send you pictures to keep you in the loop and ask for any changes required. Our in-house designers will set up designs for the final print, we do not expect you to do this.

All designs developed in the time after the workshops are not final until we have had a showing and they become signed off. If a design is not signed off we may require you to make further changes, in this case we will contact you again outlining any changes, deadlines, and how many hours we estimate this should take you. We will inform you of any designs that have been signed off which means they will be going into the gift range.

This process could potentially span over 2 months.

If your design is successful and makes it into the final collection you will be required to assign your rights for this design over to Cosmetic Warriors.

Pay for the workshop week

In order to pay everyone fairly for their contribution to the workshop week, we will be paying a salary of £12 ph which is the salary of our junior designers within Lush. We will continue to pay this rate for any further development work given after the workshops should a design be successful. If your pay is higher than this then you will be paid your hourly rate. Your department/shop will need to recharge their wages back to be paid by Gift Design, Cosmetic Warriors.

What if you are not chosen for the virtual workshop week, or one of the designs you produced during the virtual workshop week is not used?

Please keep applying for future openings to the Talent Pool, just because you were not successful this time, doesn't mean you won't be the next.

We will ensure that work submitted by candidates is not used (either in full, adapted or modified) without permission.

We will also remove all submitted work from our systems to prevent any accidental use.

If we do wish to use your work we will inform you by email and write a brief outlining how we would like to collaborate with you and any changes we wish you to make, how long we estimate this should take you. We will also organise a video call to discuss the email to make sure you know what is expected of you and if you need any help from us. You will be paid for this time.

Any designs not used are yours to share and use for future endeavours or portfolios and social media.