Senior Product Developer

PICANTE; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A London-based fashion brand is seeking a Senior Product Developer/Product Development Manager to lead product development from design to bulk readiness. The role involves managing fit sessions, refining tech packs created by designers, and collaborating closely with factories to ensure high-quality execution. Candidates should have 4–7+ years in product development within premium or luxury ready-to-wear fashion, alongside strong technical knowledge and experience managing junior developers. This position promises a dynamic team environment and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Staff clothing

Supportive, close-knit team

Opportunity to shape product at a pivotal stage

Qualifications

• 4–7+ years’ experience in Product Development within premium or luxury RTW.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members.
• Comfortable taking ownership and making decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development from design handover to bulk-ready sign-off.
• Manage development communication with factories.
• Ensure all styles meet quality, fit, cost, and margin expectations.

Skills

Proven experience leading fit sessions

Strong technical knowledge of garment construction

Confident editing and refining tech packs

Strong fabric and trim knowledge

Experience working directly with overseas factories

Tools

Excel

Figma

Job description

PICANTE is a London-based fashion and lifestyle brand founded by Jude Taylor and Saam Zonoozi. Built from a shared love of food, friendship and travel, PICANTE has grown into a cult label featured in Vogue, HYPEBEAST, Highsnobiety, Complex and GQ.

Alongside its mainline collections, PICANTE collaborates with iconic restaurants, brands and cultural partners, creating product that blends premium construction with playful, culturally relevant storytelling.

We are now looking for a Senior Product Developer / Product Development Manager to lead product development from design handover through to bulk readiness, while remaining closely involved in execution and technical decision-making.

The Role

This is a senior, hands-on role with responsibility for the quality, flow and technical execution of product development across the brand.

You will own fit, sampling and technical development, lead and manage a Junior Product Developer, and work closely with Design and Production to elevate product quality while maintaining pace, margin and realism.

Designers at PICANTE create their own tech packs. Your role is to challenge, refine and strengthen these through development, ensuring design intent is pushed where possible and grounded where necessary.

Core Responsibilities

Product Development, Fit & Technical Execution

• Lead product development from design handover to bulk-ready sign-off
• Own and lead all fit sessions, setting fit standards and final decisions
• Review, refine and edit designer-created tech packs for accuracy and clarity
• Personally manage development of complex, high-risk or priority styles
• Resolve construction, wash, trim and fabric issues directly with factories
• Ensure all styles meet quality, fit, cost and margin expectations
• Prepare clear and confident handovers into Production
• Own pattern cutting outsourcing, working closely with external pattern cutters to brief, review and refine blocks, patterns and construction to achieve fit intent
• Work closely with Design to push product quality, construction and finish
• Challenge designs constructively to elevate fit, fabrication and longevity
• Collaborate with Design through considered fabric and trim sourcing
• Own fabric and trim sourcing, including research, lab dips, strike-offs and approvals
• Help structure and maintain a clear archive of samples, references and materials
• Organise and support reference, archive and inspiration visits where relevant
• Line-manage and mentor a Junior Product Developer
• Set clear priorities and workload direction within the PD function
• Review all PD outputs before factory send
• Build technical confidence, accuracy and independence within the team
• Establish clear standards for tech packs, fit comments and sample tracking
• Manage relationships with external pattern cutters, ensuring clear briefs, timely delivery and alignment with development timelines
• Own the Product Development calendar in line with the critical path
• Work closely with the Production Manager to ensure clear handovers, aligned timelines and a joined-up approach from development into production
• Support Production with feasibility, construction detail and development clarity
• Ensure Production is set up for success with clean, locked product handovers

Supplier & Factory Management

• Manage day-to-day development communication with factories
• Visit new and existing factories as required
• Assess supplier capability by category, complexity, price and lead time
• Flag supply-chain risks early and propose practical solutions
• Manage relationships with external pattern cutters, ensuring clear briefs, timely delivery and alignment with development timelines

What Success Looks Like

• Elevated fit, construction and finish across collections
• Faster, cleaner sampling cycles with fewer revisions
• Strong collaboration between Design, PD and Production
• A confident, improving Junior Product Developer
• Reduced re-work, clearer ownership and smoother bulk handovers

Skills & Experience

• 4–7+ years’ experience in Product Development within premium or luxury RTW
• Strong technical knowledge of garment construction, fit and pattern
• Proven experience leading fit sessions and making final fit decisions
• Confident editing and refining tech packs created by designers
• Strong fabric and trim knowledge, including sourcing and performance
• Strong understanding of pattern cutting and block development, with experience briefing and managing external pattern cutters
• Experience working directly with overseas factories
• Strong working knowledge of Excel for tracking, costings and development management
• Strong commercial awareness of cost, margin and feasibility
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail
• Clear, calm and solutions-focused communicator
• Menswear RTW experience
• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members
• Experience working in small, fast-growing brands
• Interest in product archives, references and long-term brand building
• Experience using Figma for reference sharing, development communication or documentation

Personal Attributes

• Hands-on and execution-focused
• Confident pushing design while remaining collaborative
• Comfortable taking ownership and making decisions
• Pragmatic, non-political team player
• Quality-driven with strong commercial awareness

The Details

• Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
• Location: London
• Staff clothing
• Supportive, close-knit team
• Opportunity to shape product at a pivotal stage of growth

PICANTE is an Equal Opportunities Employer and recruits purely on the basis of skills and experience.

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Senior Product Developer Product Development Manager • Greater London, England, United Kingdom