Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Amy Castles

Summary

I'm a creative leader with 15+ years of experience in design, branding, and packaging, mostly in the beauty, fashion, and FMCG market. I combine creative direction with hands-on design work. I've led in-house and external design teams, and brought ideas to life across digital, packaging, and retail space.

From launching new products to refreshing a brand look or executing large-scale campaign activations, I turn ideas into strategic creative that delivers impactful results.



Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Design Manager

MCoBeauty
06.2019 - Current
  • Own and evolve the brand’s visual identity across digital and retail channels, ensuring alignment with overall marketing strategy and business objectives.
  • Lead a talented in-house creative team - setting the creative vision, maintaining design standards, and managing workflows across e-commerce, social media, and in-store point of sale.
  • Oversee creative direction for campaigns, packaging, product launches, social and digital content, ensuring everything feels on-brand.
  • Direct all brand photoshoots, working closely with photographers, stylists, and campaign producers to create eye-catching visuals.
  • Collaborate with team leaders to align creative with business strategy, consumer trends, and market opportunities.
  • Helped shape MCoBeauty’s evolving brand identity as it expanded in both retail and digital.

Creative Design Manager

The Beach House Group
03.2018 - 06.2019
  • Led creative for colourful brands, such as Yoobi, WeAreCheeky, and Antsypants—covering packaging, branding, and storytelling from concept through to final execution.
  • Brought fresh ideas to life using trend forecasting, competitive research, and consumer insights.
  • Worked cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain to build creative that was both visually impactful and market-ready.
  • Produced local content and brand assets, aligning with global creative direction and U.S. HQ standards.
  • Streamlined creative systems and workflows to support multiple categories and retail partners.

Head Designer

Hotsprings
09.2008 - 07.2017
  • Led the full design process for licensed and private label sleepwear, swimwear, and underwear across kids, women’s, and men’s ranges.
  • Led the internal design team, balancing creative direction with commercial goals and brand/licensing guidelines.
  • Worked closely with Sales, Merchandisers, and Production team to improve design efficiency.
  • Reviewed and approved supplier strike-offs and fabric samples to make sure they met our quality and licensor brand guidelines.
  • Represented the company on international travel buying trips to spot emerging trends, making sure new product ideas aligned with our retailer and brand standards
  • Used company data, sales insights, WGSN trend forecasts, and moodboards to guide design decisions for future collections.

Fashion Designer

Heatons
02.2007 - 05.2008
  • Designed seasonal collections across categories including outerwear, loungewear, and underwear.
  • Oversaw the full creative process from initial concept through to final production.
  • Worked directly with buyers, suppliers, and leadership to bring collections to life while staying within company budget.
  • Created detailed trend boards to guide the creative process and ensure brand consistency.
  • Carried out competitive market research and sample shopping to stay updated on fashion trends.
  • Regularly presented trend forecasts and collection strategies to executive
    stakeholders, contributing to brand and category growth.
  • Developed and prepared all tech packs for suppliers, ensuring they had all the necessary details for final production.
  • Helped elevate the overall design standard and connect the creative work more closely with commercial objectives.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Design

National College of Art & Design
Dublin
06-2005

Skills

  • Creative Direction Concept development and campaign ideation
  • Branding & Identity Brand refreshes and maintaining guidelines
  • Packaging Design Beauty and fashion that is both functional and visually appealing
  • Digital Design E-commerce, social media, digital campaigns
  • Team Leadership Workflow management, cross-functional collaboration and mentorship
  • Trend Forecasting Seasonal research and competitive analysis
  • Production Oversight Photoshoot direction, content creation, supplier coordination
  • Tools & Tech – Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), Figma, Canva, Microsoft Office, Slack, Asana, Mondaycom

Timeline

Senior Design Manager

MCoBeauty
06.2019 - Current

Creative Design Manager

The Beach House Group
03.2018 - 06.2019

Head Designer

Hotsprings
09.2008 - 07.2017

Fashion Designer

Heatons
02.2007 - 05.2008

Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Design

National College of Art & Design

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Amy Castles