SHOE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT / MENTOR / LECTURER
HELPING creativeS & FOUNDERS BRING BIG IDEAS TO LIFE.
Are you a founder or solopreneur with an innovative new idea? Need some help combining creative concepts with commercial and strategic know-how?
Let’s work together to design your unique roadmap for success.
design LEADERSHIP & mentoring
I’m a footwear designer and developer with a versatile skill set applied across the consumer goods space, offering product feasibility assessments, design insights, and mentorship for emerging startups.
Specialising in:
Shoe design & development
Startup feasibility assessment
Fractional head of footwear design/product creation roles
Experienced lecturer and MA/MBA dissertation tutor
services
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Footwear design and development services include:
Fractional head of footwear
Factory introductions & supply chain managment
Special projects & collabs
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From single power hours to ongoing support, let’s brainstorm your goals and challenges.
Common topics include goal-setting, feasibility reporting & deck reviews, briefing creatives & onboarding, board meeting prep, critical path management, supply chain management, effective prioritising and founder work-life balance.
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Topics & workshops include:
Design Thinking & Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Fashion Business Management
Business of Luxury
Emerging Technologies & Social Trends
“Caoimhe played a pivotal role in guiding our cross-faculty research team, which had no prior experience in commercialisation, through the development of a comprehensive manufacturing and commercialisation strategy for a new shoe. Her expertise, dedication, and ability to translate our research into an actionable business plan was invaluable. Caoimhe's strategic insights and collaborative approach not only empowered our team but gave us a practical route to market.”
Dr Margaret Lawlor, Technology Transfer Case Manager Lifescience, University of Limerick
HI, I’M CAOIMHE (QUEE-VA)
I've been a shoe designer on the British high street and for global brands for over twenty years. Back in 2021, I decided to pivot and focus on footwear startups and smaller fashion brands.
Since then, I’ve set up design teams and supply chains. Developed complex luxury footwear in Italy and been the chief shoe-wrangler backstage in London and Milan during fashion week.
I've also taught business management to fashion students and mentored founders and entrepreneurs. I've facilitated design thinking and innovation workshops. Helped influencers create business plans & turned ideas into revenue streams.
It’s been a busy time figuring out solopreneuring and a portfolio career!
And now here I am, ready to share all I’ve learned with you. Reach out if there's a situation or goal you could use help to breakdown, I’d love to hear more and see if we’re a fit!
businesses I’ve worked with
What they say
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IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT DESIGN THINKING FROM A DESIGNER, AND GET HELP ON HOW TO USE IT TO SOLVE BUSINESS PROBLEMS, THEN YOU NEED CAOIMHE KELLY.
Sophia Matveeva, CEO & Founder , Tech For Non-Techies
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Caoimhe has worked as a freelance footwear developer with the team at Charles Jeffrey Loverboy since March 2022. She has supported us to develop a complex shoe all the way from concept to industrialisation. Her knowledge across a variety of construction techniques has been very insightful. Its been great to take ideas from concept to final production so smoothly and efficiently.
Naomi Ingleby, Product Director, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy
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CAOIMHE'S WORKSHOP CONTENT IS THE PERFECT BALANCE OF INFORMATIVE, ENGAGING AND CHALLENGING. SHE HAS BEEN SUCH AN ASSET TO OUR COURSE.
Muireann McMahon, Associate Professor and Design Researcher at School of Design, University of Limerick
Let’s work together.
I’m always happy to have an initial conversation about your situation and your goals. Drop me a line to set up a call!