Meet the Designers

KAMI BECKENDORF

Job Description:

My job starts at the front end of each season, which begins with creative inspiration and product research. I develop and present to the team seasonal themes, color palettes, product inspiration, and new style silhouettes. Once the line is reviewed and approved, I work closely with our Technical Product Designer on all the design details and fit that goes into each style so that they can bring each piece to life.

Favorite part about designing for Oiselle:

My favorite part of designing for Oiselle is our team's willingness to take risks, try new things, and push boundaries.

Favorite S23 product:

My favorite S23 product was our athlete collections. This season we launched Wyomia Tyus and Lauren Fleshman’s styles. Working with our athletes to tell their stories through apparel was something so personal that seeing it come to life was rewarding on a different level.

Favorite fabric + why:

Tough question! We have so many amazing fabrics that serve such different purposes, but if I had to choose one, it would have to be Lux. It has one of the best hand feels, which is just ridiculously soft, and with the three different lux weights paired with the types of silhouettes we offer them, it provides options for many different types of people.

How do you create seasonal lines that are cohesive, but also pair well with previous seasons (and will go well with the future too)?

When working on a new season, we’re generally starting 1.5 - 2 years out from when the styles go to market. We’re also working on 3 seasons at a time, so a lot of what goes into the development is looking at what’s working, what’s not, what needs some improvement, and areas for innovation. The key to keeping it cohesive is constantly thinking about what’s coming next without losing track of where you’re at. Even at the start of a new season, while the goal is to make that season the best yet, as early as the point of theme creation, I’m already beginning to think of what the next transition will be - same with colors and fabrics.

JULIA MANGELSDORF

Job Description:

One of the easiest ways I've found to describe my role is that technical designers are like the engineers of the clothing industry. I work closely with my design partners as they hand off their designs and sketches and then I help take that creative concept and develop it into a real-world product. I create a technical packet for each unique style which contains everything needed to create a garment to successfully go into production. We can go through multiple rounds of samples until we feel a style is ready for production. I communicate any changes through comments and pattern corrections in an updated tech pack to our manufacturing partners.

Favorite part about designing for Oiselle:

One of my favorite things about designing for Oiselle is the lens that we design through. That's very broad, I know, but let me explain! We are designing for women who want to move, and we are women who enjoy movement. Our color choices, fabric choices, and design choices are all looked at through this lens of what makes sense to our end user. We are passionate about our product and our customer, and we understand many of our customers' needs. And the needs we don't understand - we try to find someone who does and learn from them. As a technical designer, I love working on performance clothing. I think designing for a functional end-use makes the technical aspect of my job just so much more interesting.

Favorite S23 product:

Asking me to pick a favorite product is a hard ask, but one of my favorite new products of Spring ‘23 would have to be the High Rise Roga and High Rise Long Roga. The Roga family is a staple for Oiselle - and the High Rise Rogas just feel like such a happy addition. Selfishly, they're also a personal favorite. These just fit my frame a bit better than our classic Rogas. The waistband hits me in a more flattering spot and has some nice smoothing effects in an area I can feel self-conscious around. Additionally, not to give too much away but a couple of things I’m pretty stoked about coming out next fall are a couple of items in the Lux family - a new hoodie and the return of a favorite track pant.

Favorite fabric + why:

I love them all! Ha ha. To give some love to one of our newer fabrics on the playground, my favorite newer fabric has got to be the Basic Bird. I like how it's kind of an in-between weight - between our other legging fabrics. It’s got a nice, light-peached hand feel but still feels like an athletic tight. I love how compressive and smooth it is, and I strangely sometimes get the urge to strike a superhero pose while wearing them.

Can you tell us more about the importance of designing for extended sizes/technical fit?

I started at Oiselle right as they were about to launch their extended-size line. While I was already excited to work with Oiselle, knowing that they were investing in designing for a broader range of women's bodies was important to me and helped make clear to me that I could see myself growing with this company. I have been a woman in the extended size range most of my adult life, and have always been of above-average height. I understand some of the frustrations that can come from not feeling like I fit into the mold, so to speak. Fitting for women's bodies is complicated and challenging and inspiring. A little like women themselves. In technical design, we fit on an "average" size and have formulas that we use to grade out other sizes from that base. The thing is - in truth, there really is no such thing as the "average" woman. We are all so incredibly unique and special, with different perspectives and experiences. All we can try to do in a role like mine is to do our best and then continually be evaluating, listening, and trying to move the needle forward.

BETH MCALPINE

Job Description:

My role has a lot of different parts to it, but the best way I can describe it, in a nutshell, is to say that I make sure that what the Designers design for each season gets made and gets here!

Favorite part about designing for Oiselle:

I don’t necessarily do any designing, but I am a big part of the overall strategy for the designs when it comes to styles, colors, fits, etc. My favorite part of being on this team is the intention that we put behind every single style we design and develop. We are obsessed with product- and obsessed with running- and because of this, we are constantly talking about how we can make the best product that will meet the needs of all types of women runners.

Favorite S23 product:

What I am most excited about for Spring ‘23 and our upcoming Fall ‘23 season is our Band + Cup bra collection. Kami, our Head of Design, has put countless hours into designing these styles and the overall program. Because of that, we have four amazing styles that we feel fit the needs of women runners who are looking for the most supportive running bras on the market.

Favorite fabric + why:

This is so tough… we have so many great fabrics that it’s hard to choose! Currently, I would have to go with Flow! It is so lightweight and has a slight sheerness to it. It’s perfect for these early summer days when you start heating up on your run and you want a running top that isn’t going to overheat you.