Lead Designer

ROAME.; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

ROAME. is an Australian ready-to-wear brand seeking a Lead Designer to own the design process from concept to approved samples. This hands-on role requires you to sketch, drape, CAD, and develop prints, with autonomy to drive collections each season.

You will collaborate with the Product & Operations Manager and Marketing to ensure production readiness and tell the collection story. Experience in womenswear design and strong Adobe tools are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing womenswear, ideally in a lead or sole-designer role for a premium brand.
• Strong ability to create original artwork for production and develop prints/textiles.
• Hand sketching and draping skills; technical garment knowledge.
• Tech packs built to factory standard and experience with offshore suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Build each season's concept, mood boards, colour palette and print direction.
• Sketch, drape and CAD ranges; source fabrics and trims.
• Create and brief original prints, embroideries and trims; brief freelancers and technicians.
• Create and issue tech packs to factory standard and manage samples through rounds.
• Review prototypes against design intent and provide feedback at fit sessions.

Skills

Lead designer

Print and textile

Autonomy

Project management

Creative direction

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Job description

A coveted opportunity for a highly creative lead designer has opened in a small but growing Australian brand with large international wholesale base.

ROAME. is an Australian ready-to-wear label built on the art of dressing like your holiday self in everyday life. Through hand-drawn prints and artful detailing, each collection tells a story, and each piece is crafted with intention and worn with meaning.

We are looking for a Lead Designer to own our design process from first concept to approved salesman samples. It is a rare role: one designer, real autonomy, and your prints and pieces in market each season.

About the role

Reporting to the Creative Director, you will lead each collection from research and concept through range development, print and artwork, tech packs and sampling. You will work closely with the Product & Operations Manager, who takes each style through technical approval and production, and the Marketing team, who bring the collection story to customers.

This is a hands-on role where you will be at the sketch table, the fit session and the print approval, not just directing from a distance.

Key responsibilities

Build each season's concept, mood boards, colour palette and print direction

Sketch, drape and CAD each range, and source fabrics and trims

Create original prints, embroideries and trims, and brief freelance print designers and garment technicians

Create and issue tech packs to factory standard and keep them current through each sample round

Review protos and SMS against design intent, attend fit sessions and give design comments to factories

Name styles, colours and prints, and produce the seasonal range book

Brief Marketing on the collection story and hero styles

About you

Proven experience designing womenswear, ideally including a lead or sole-designer role in a premium brand

A strong eye for print and textile, with the ability to create original artwork and prepare it for production

Technical garment knowledge: construction, fabric, fit and how design choices affect cost and production

Tech packs built to factory standard, and strong Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign skills

Hand sketching and draping skills

Experience working with offshore factories and print studios

The confidence to own a process with autonomy, and the organisation to deliver to a critical path

Please note due to the high volume of applications we receive; only successful candidates will be contacted.

ROAME. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our recruitment practices.