Design Director, Accessories Leather Goods (Fashion)

KMKnyc; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

KMKNYC is seeking a Design Director, Leather Goods to lead the creative direction and development of one of the brand’s flagship categories in New York. You will oversee Mainline Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Outlet, and Runway-support collections, translating fashion concepts into commercially viable products.

The role requires a deep expertise in luxury leather goods, a proven track record building and mentoring design teams, and the ability to balance creative vision with production

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive design experience in luxury handbags, leather goods, or related products.
• Significant experience leading handbag/leather goods design for premium or luxury brands.
• A compelling portfolio showing concept development, design innovation, technical understanding, and commercial success.
• Strong knowledge of leather, materials, hardware, construction, and craftsmanship.
• Experience leading and developing design teams.

Responsibilities

• Set the creative direction for leather goods across Mainline Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Outlet collections, and Runway support.
• Lead seasonal concept development, product design, color, materials, hardware, silhouette, and storytelling.
• Translate runway concepts into compelling leather goods collections with market relevance.
• Guide sketches, specs, prototypes, samples, materials, hardware, and construction details.
• Balance creative ambition with feasibility, timing, cost, and commercial goals.
• Support runway, collaborations, and other high-visibility brand initiatives.

Skills

Design leadership

Luxury handbag expertise

Product development

Materials & construction

Team development

Presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Design tools proficiency

Tools

CAD software

3D modeling

Job description

Design Director, Leather Goods (Fashion)

Location: New York, NY

Workplace: Onsite

About the Opportunity

Our client is a globally recognized luxury fashion house entering an exciting new chapter of growth, transformation, and product innovation. Under renewed leadership, the organization is investing in exceptional talent, creative excellence, and the long-term evolution of the brand.

We are seeking a Design Director, Leather Goods to lead the creative direction and design development of one of the brand’s most important and highest-performing categories. This individual will oversee leather goods across Mainline Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Outlet collections, and Runway support, while helping define the next generation of product that drives cultural relevance and commercial success.

Reporting to senior creative leadership, the Design Director will translate the brand’s creative vision into compelling, distinctive, and commercially relevant product. This leader will evolve established product franchises, introduce new design concepts, and identify opportunities for innovation and category growth.

This is a highly visible design leadership role with the opportunity to influence product strategy across a global business while partnering closely with one of the industry’s most recognized creative leaders.

What You’ll Do

Creative and Category Leadership

• Set the creative direction for leather goods across Mainline Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Outlet collections, and Runway support.
• Develop a cohesive category vision aligned with the brand’s creative direction and broader business objectives.
• Lead seasonal concept development, product design, color, materials, hardware, silhouette, and collection storytelling.
• Evolve established product franchises while identifying opportunities for new icons, constructions, and design propositions.
• Translate runway concepts and broader brand codes into compelling leather goods collections.
• Identify emerging consumer behaviors, cultural shifts, and market opportunities that can inform future product direction.

Design and Product Development

• Lead the end-to-end design process from initial concept and sketch development through prototyping, sampling, and final product execution.
• Partner closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, Production, and Materials teams to bring innovative and commercially viable concepts to market.
• Review and guide sketches, technical specifications, prototypes, samples, materials, hardware, and construction details.
• Ensure product consistently reflects the brand’s standards for creativity, quality, craftsmanship, functionality, and value.
• Balance creative ambition with product feasibility, timing, cost, and commercial objectives.
• Support runway, special projects, collaborations, and other high-visibility brand initiatives.

Commercial and Strategic Partnership

• Partner with Merchandising and Planning to shape seasonal product architecture, assortment strategy, and category priorities.
• Use category performance, consumer insights, market trends, and competitive intelligence to guide design decisions.
• Identify whitespace opportunities across price points, distribution channels, and consumer segments.
• Help translate creative direction into scalable product assortments with global relevance.
• Contribute design recommendations that support both near-term performance and long-term brand growth.

Team and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the leather goods design team, establishing clear direction, accountability, and high creative standards.
• Foster an environment that encourages collaboration, experimentation, constructive dialogue, and design excellence.
• Serve as a key creative partner across Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Materials, Production, Sourcing, and Retail.
• Present seasonal concepts and product direction to creative and business leadership with clarity and conviction.
• Help strengthen organizational capabilities, processes, and ways of working across the broader product organization.

Who You Are

• A highly accomplished design leader with deep expertise in luxury handbags, leather goods, and accessories.
• A conceptual thinker with an exceptional eye for proportion, silhouette, materials, color, hardware, and construction.
• Able to connect creative vision with consumer relevance and commercial opportunity.
• Passionate about design excellence, craftsmanship, functionality, and the details that distinguish exceptional product.
• Highly collaborative and effective at influencing within a complex, cross-functional organization.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment where transformation and change are ongoing.
• A builder who can bring structure and clarity while preserving creativity and encouraging new ideas.
• Confident, grounded, and able to earn the trust of both creative and commercial partners.

What You’ll Need

• 10+ years of progressive design experience in luxury handbags, leather goods, accessories, or closely related product categories.
• Significant experience leading the design of handbag and/or small leather goods collections for a premium or luxury brand.
• A compelling portfolio demonstrating concept development, design innovation, technical understanding, and commercially successful product.
• Strong knowledge of leather, materials, hardware, construction, craftsmanship, and product development.
• Experience leading and developing design teams.
• The ability to translate creative direction into clear, executable design concepts and cohesive seasonal collections.
• Strong presentation, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency in relevant design tools and technologies.

Preferred Background

Experience within one or more of the following environments is especially relevant:

• Luxury handbags and leather goods
• Small leather goods and accessories
• Contemporary luxury brands
• European or American luxury fashion houses
• Global businesses operating across full-price and outlet channels