Concept Designer (Senior Designer & Team Lead) - Womenswear Accessories

COS; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fashion brand is seeking a Concept Designer for womenswear accessories, focusing on footwear and bags. This full-time permanent position involves leading a team to deliver high-quality, on-trend products, managing the design process from concept to customer. The role aspires to inspire innovation, creativity and foster a cohesive brand identity, while providing attractive employee benefits and development opportunities.

Benefits

25% staff discount on all H&M Group brands

Up to 25 days holiday

Cycle to work scheme

Discounted gym membership

Employee assistance via retail trust

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a Senior Designer/Design Manager role, ideally within luxury fashion.
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a design team.
• Deep understanding of shoe and bag construction and production processes.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for creating, building, and driving quality products.
• Lead the design team to ensure alignment with brand goals.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure effective workflow.

Skills

Leadership

Innovative problem-solving

Excellent communication

Adaptability

High awareness of fashion trends

Job description

• Full-time

Job Description

As the Concept Designer on womenswear accessories (footwear & bag focus) you are accountable for creating and delivering wardrobes that hold elevated products designed in accordance with the design directions for the collection. You hold a key role in creating a customer relevant offer in line with the COS Brand Aesthetic. You lead your team to secure elevated quality products which drive selling and brand appeal for the customer.

What you will do:

• Accountable for creating, building and driving elevated and quality products, aligning with the department's vision and goals
• Lead your team to secure accessory products that offer width and are cohesive with the wardrobe plan, driving selling and brand appeal for the customer.
• Stay updated with customer expectations, design direction, and brand goals, fostering creativity and innovation.
• Adapt to seasonal trends and shape the collection accordingly.
• Meet critical deadlines and ensure business-critical processes are met.
• Maintain a high performing, engaged team that delivers results on time.
• Work with stakeholders in Design, Tech, Production, Buying, Planning, and Merchandising to ensure effective workflow.
• Collaborate with Buying Controllers to establish clear targets, budgets, and resource allocation.
• Build and inspire an industry-leading design team, setting high standards and guiding their development.
• Manage all aspects of the employee lifecycle, from recruitment, supporting your team’s development, feedback and progression.
• Implement seasonal purchase strategies to secure the best deals for products.
• Lead by example, demonstrating COS values and fostering an inclusive culture.
• Design for commercial success, ensuring the offer drives the brand forward and maintains quality.
• Create a balanced shoe and bag offer for all customer types, to enhance our womenswear wardrobe.
• Drive research to understand customer insights, trends, and tendencies.
• Monitor design sales and apply learnings to future designs.

Qualifications

Alignment to our company values is the most important characteristic we look for in all new joiners. Our values are the behaviours that we appreciate above and beyond anything else. We are open-minded and curious, we dare to be different, we believe in constant improvement and we empower and trust you to take ownership. Our values are part of who we are, what we stand for and how we act.

What you need to succeed:

• Significant experiencein a Senior Designer/Design Manger Accessories role, ideally within the luxury fashion industry (footwear & bags essential)
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a design team.
• Deep understanding of shoe and bag construction and production processes, especially with high-quality fabrics/leather.
• Excellent communication skills for effective collaboration with multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Innovative problem-solving skills to tackle design challenges creatively.
• High awareness of fashion trends, innovation and future directions.
• Adaptability to evolving project requirements and deadlines.
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced and creative environment.
• Genuine enthusiasm for COS and a passion for designing products that resonate with our customers.

Please kindly note that in order for us to consider your application, you will need to include a portfolio or examples of your work most suited to the COS design aesthetic.

Additional Information

This is a full time permanent role based at our Head Office in London.

We offer all our employees attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe. All our employees receive a 25% staff discount usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here .

In addition to this UK based colleagues also receive:

• Up to 25 days holiday
• Discounts on various activities and financial/lifestyle products via our benefits hub
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee assistance via retail trust

Inclusion & Diversity

At COS we’re determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organisation. Our teams should consist of a variety of people that share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, on what we perceive possible and on how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world. Hence all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process.

Company Description

COS offers a wardrobe of ready-to-wear and accessories rooted in exceptional quality and lasting design. The creative soul of the brand is fuelled by a deep connection to modern culture, dynamic global cities and compelling fashion movements. With an emphasis on expert craftsmanship, innovation and materiality, collections are created with a mindful approach, seamlessly blending contemporary and timeless. Learn more about COShere .

Ready to register interest? Click on the I’M INTERESTED link where you can upload your CV and portfolio securely. Once we have received your application, we will keep you updated regularly about the status of your application so please look out for our email.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!