Design Lead / Design Manager - Womenswear

Zachary Daniels Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Private medical

Employee assistance program

23 days holiday

Flexible working hours

London office in King's Cross

Job summary

Zachary Daniels Recruitment is partnering with a global fashion brand to hire a Design Lead / Design Manager for Womenswear in London. You will personally design while leading and developing a team, shaping seasonal direction, colour palettes and premium high-street storytelling across multiple brands.

A hands-on leader who translates brand DNA into commercially viable product will thrive here. You will collaborate with Creative Director, Sales and commercial teams, present to senior

Qualifications

• Experience leading a design team in womenswear.
• Strong understanding of brand identity and translating into product.
• Hands-on design, range development and product creation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire the Womenswear design team across multiple brands and product categories.
• Take ownership of the design direction for Womenswear.
• Be hands-on with design, range development and product creation.
• Develop seasonal concepts, colour palettes, fabrications, prints, graphics and key product stories.
• Bring a strong Womenswear handwriting and premium high-street aesthetic to the brand.
• Translate brand DNA into exciting, commercially viable product.
• Work closely with the Creative Director, Sales and wider commercial teams.
• Present collections and creative direction to senior stakeholders, licensors and brand partners.
• Keep a close eye on trends, customers and the wider Womenswear market.
• Mentor and develop Designers and support the continued growth of the team.
• Manage multiple brands, projects and deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Challenge ideas, push creative thinking and maintain high standards from initial concept through to final product.

Skills

Womenswear design experience

Brand experience

Mentoring Designers

Commercial awareness

Presenting to stakeholders

Hands-on design

Team leadership

Job description

Design Lead / Design Manager - Womenswear

London | Euston / King's Cross area | £Competitive + benefits including bonus

Are you a creative, commercially minded Womenswear Designer who is ready to take a bigger step and really make your mark?

We're working with a hugely exciting, growing global fashion brands business looking for a Design Lead / Design Manager to take ownership of its Womenswear design direction

This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who doesn't just want to manage from the sidelines. You'll still be designing, creating product and getting stuck into the detail, while leading and developing a growing team around you.

The opportunity

Womenswear is a major area of investment and growth. The Womenswear business has already seen significant growth, with strong reactions from retail and wholesale customers, and there is a real opportunity to continue elevating the product and developing the brand handwriting.

You’ll be the person helping to shape what that looks like.

Working across multi product Womenswear, you’ll develop seasonal creative direction, build ranges and make sure the product feels both brand-right and commercially relevant.

You’ll also lead a small team of Designers, with the wider design function continuing to grow.

What you'll be doing

• Lead and inspire the Womenswear design team across multiple brands and product categories.
• Take ownership of the design direction for Womenswear.
• Be hands-on with design, range development and product creation.
• Develop seasonal concepts, colour palettes, fabrications, prints, graphics and key product stories.
• Bring a strong Womenswear handwriting and premium high-street aesthetic to the brand.
• Translate brand DNA into exciting, commercially viable product.
• Work closely with the Creative Director, Sales and wider commercial teams.
• Present collections and creative direction to senior stakeholders, licensors and brand partners.
• Keep a close eye on trends, customers and the wider Womenswear market.
• Mentor and develop Designers and support the continued growth of the team.
• Manage multiple brands, projects and deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Challenge ideas, push creative thinking and maintain high standards from initial concept through to final product.

Who are we looking for?

We're open-minded about where you’ve come from. Brand experience would be ideal, but strong retail backgrounds will absolutely be considered.

You could be an experienced Design Manager, Senior Womenswear Designer or Design Lead who is ready to broaden your ownership and step into a role with genuine influence.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Strong Womenswear design experience, ideally within brand, premium high street, lifestyle, casual or commercial fashion.
• A great eye for colour, proportion, fabrication, styling and detail.
• Strong Jersey experience - this is particularly important for the role.
• Experience managing, mentoring and developing Designers.
• A strong understanding of brand identity and how to translate it into product.
• Commercial awareness - you know what looks great and what will sell.
• The confidence to present your ideas and influence senior stakeholders.
• A hands-on, entrepreneurial approach.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment where things can change quickly.
• Plenty of energy, resilience and a willingness to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in.

Why this role?

This isn't about inheriting an established team and simply keeping things ticking over.

The Womenswear function is growing, and you'll have genuine scope to help shape the team, the product and the direction of the business.

Exposure to a genuinely varied and international brand environment.

There is also significant growth happening across wholesale and retail, so it is a great time to join a thriving business and really make your mark!

The package

• £Competitive salary
• annual bonus
• Private medical with Aviva
• EAP
• 23 days' holiday
• Flexible working hours
• Annual pay reviews
• Social events
• London office based in the King's Cross area
• 4 or 5 days in the office

If you're a Womenswear Designer who wants more ownership, more influence and the opportunity to help shape a growing Womenswear business, this could be a really exciting next move.

BH37395