Handbag Designer

ALDO Group; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous employee discounts

On-site perks

Job summary

ALDO Group in Montreal is seeking a Designer to create and develop handbags aligned with seasonal direction and brand identity. You will translate trends into commercially viable designs through sketching, technical development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams, contributing to 10% of global sales.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, 3–5 years in footwear or accessories design, and strong skills in hand and digital sketching, materials, and construction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field
• 3–5 years of experience in footwear or accessories design
• Strong sketching (hand and digital) and technical design
• Strong experience translating trends into commercial concepts
• Experience in trend forecasting
• Experience working with overseas vendors and product development processes
• Strong understanding of materials, construction, and trend application
• Strong creative thinking with a commercial mindset
• Excellent technical sketching and design skills
• Strong attention to detail and organization
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Problem-solving mindset and adaptability
• Passion for fashion, trends, and consumer behavior
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and AI tools to optimize design work

Responsibilities

• Researches, identifies, and interprets key trends, consumer insights, and market direction
• Lead the trend direction by creating seasonal mood boards, seasonal concepts, and category direction
• Leads the translation of trends into brand-right, commercially relevant products for specific category
• Collaborates with Line Builders to align design direction with assortment needs and business objectives
• Design handbag assortment catering to global needs
• Own technical sketches from constructions to patterns, and ensuring the correct balance of silhouettes and constructions are developed – approximately 50 constructions a year and 180 patterns a year
• Create seasonal trends Direction in line with footwear direction
• Develops design packages and align cohesive packages with the footwear design team
• Lead material selection and development of the category needs
• Work on seasonal specs with the line building team
• Lead prototype corrections of construction and patterns ahead of sample execution and post sample reception providing technical feedback on designs and execution
• Own the seasonal design development calendar
• Maintains daily communication with cross-functional teams and overseas vendors for development follow-ups
• Participate in Store visits to ensure production of product is executed correctly and provide vendors with constant feedback to improve execution
• Take part in seasonal postmortem to improve efficiency and collaboration with sourcing teams.
• Lead the translation of trends into brand-right, commercially relevant products for specific category

Job description

About the ALDO Group

Specializing in stylish and accessible footwear, handbags, and accessories, the ALDO Group has been around for more than 50 years. With over 1,500 stores in more than 100 countries, we operate under two signature brands, ALDO and Call It Spring, and we are the core footwear partner for Sperry in North America. The ALDO Group is also an industry-recognized wholesale licensed partner, specializing in the design, sourcing, and distribution of fashion footwear, handbags, and accessories. Our diverse portfolio includes household brands such as ROXY, Brooks Brothers, Ted Baker, Hunter, and G.H.BASS. In addition to our head office in Montreal, the ALDO Group maintains international offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.aldogroup.com.

Enjoy meaningful recognition, flexible work options, great on‑site perks, generous discounts, and the pride of being part of a brand that leads with people, the planet, and its partners at heart.

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Designer is responsible for the creation and development of Handbags aligned with seasonal direction and brand identity. This role translates trend insights into commercially viable designs, supporting the execution of the collection through sketching, technical development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. This role contributes to 10% of the global sales.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic – 40%

• Researches, identifies, and interprets key trends, consumer insights, and market direction


• Lead the trend direction by creating seasonal mood boards, seasonal concepts, and category direction


• Leads the translation of trends into brand-right, commercially relevant products for specific category


• Collaborates with Line Builders to align design direction with assortment needs and business objectives

Operational – 50%

• Design handbag assortment catering to global needs.


• Own technical sketches from constructions to patterns, and ensuring the correct balance of silhouettes and constructions are developed – Responsible for approximately 50 constructions a year and 180 patterns a year


• Create seasonal trends Direction in line with footwear direction


• Develops design packages and align cohesive packages with the footwear design team


• Lead material selection and development of the category needs


• Work on seasonal specs with the line building team


• Lead prototype corrections of construction and patterns ahead of sample execution and post sample reception providing technical feedback on designs and execution


• Own the seasonal design development calendar


• Maintains daily communication with cross-functional teams and overseas vendors for development follow-ups


• Participate in Store visits to ensure production of product is executed correctly and provide vendors with constant feedback to improve execution


• Take part in seasonal postmortem to improve efficiency and collaboration with sourcing teams.

Leadership – 10%

• Takes ownership of assigned categories or product groups within the collection


• Contributes to a collaborative and creative team environment


• Demonstrates accountability in meeting deadlines and delivering quality outputs


• Supports continuous improvement in design processes and workflows


• Acts as a reliable partner to Senior Designer and cross-functional teams

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field


• 3–5 years of experience in footwear or accessories design


• Strong experience in sketching (hand and digital) and technical design


• Strong experience of translating trends into commercial concepts


• Experience in trend forecasting


• Experience working with overseas vendors and product development processes


• Strong understanding of materials, construction, and trend application


• Strong creative thinking with a commercial mindset


• Excellent technical sketching and design skills


• Strong attention to detail and organization


• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment


• Strong communication and collaboration skills


• Problem-solving mindset and adaptability


• Passion for fashion, trends, and consumer behavior


• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and AI tools to optimze design work

Building a culture of belonging

We firmly believe that the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and identities is a fundamental strength of the ALDO Group. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and equitable work environment where everyone can reach their full potential and find their fit.