Private Label Design Manager — Retail & Fashion

French Selection (FS); Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work: 3 days in the office, 2?d

Job summary

FRENCH SELECTION (FS) in Manchester is seeking a Design Manager for private-label collections. You will lead design and product development, translate briefs into market-ready products, and manage UK and international accounts with cross-functional teams.

The role requires solid textile/fashion/product design experience, leadership, and strong presentation skills, plus proficiency in Illustrator and Photoshop. Hybrid work is offered with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in textile, fashion or product design.
• Experience leading design teams (Design Manager/Senior Designer or similar).
• Essential: prior experience working with UK supermarkets.
• High-street and fashion-led retail experience desirable.
• Private-label design experience.
• Strong customer-facing and presentation skills.
• Strong print, pattern, colour and textile knowledge.
• Licensed or branded product experience advantageous.
• Excellent Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills.
• Good understanding of product development and manufacturing.
• Commercial awareness of retail price points.
• Trend-focused, creative and confident.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Personable, collaborative and able to manage a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and product development for private-label collections from concept to production.
• Manage customer accounts and projects with cross-functional teams (sales, sourcing, manufacturing).
• Develop seasonal concepts, prints, patterns, colour palettes and collections.
• Translate customer briefs into commercially successful products.
• Present concepts and collections to customers.
• Manage licensed and branded projects.
• Conduct trend research and monitor fashion/lifestyle retail developments.
• Oversee samples, lab dips, strike-offs and approvals.
• Collaborate with sourcing, product development and manufacturing teams.
• Lead and support designers in the UK and India.

Skills

Textile/product design

Leadership

UK supermarkets experience

Retail trend knowledge

Private-label experience

Client-facing/presentation

Print/pattern/colour knowledge

Branded/licensed product experience

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Product development understanding

Retail price awareness

Project management/team leadership

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Job description

FRENCH SELECTION (FS) in Manchester is seeking a Design Manager for private-label collections. You will lead design and product development, translate briefs into market-ready products, and manage UK and international accounts with cross-functional teams.

The role requires solid textile/fashion/product design experience, leadership, and strong presentation skills, plus proficiency in Illustrator and Photoshop. Hybrid work is offered with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.