Design Director - Kids

Fourth Floor; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Fourth Floor, a premier elevated childrenswear manufacturer, seeks a Design Director for its Baby + Toddler division in NYC. You will lead creative direction, develop seasonal collections, and mentor a growing design team while aligning concepts with product needs and production realities.

In a hybrid setup (Mon-Thu on-site, Fri remote), you will drive concept development, fabric choices, and color stories, ensuring quality and on-time delivery for the market.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in children's apparel design.
• Experience leading large design teams.
• Strong understanding of fabrics, materials, and garment construction.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to take a hands-on approach and support the team as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative direction and development of seasonal children’s apparel collections.
• Partner with creative leadership to establish design concepts, color palettes, prints, and overall product direction.
• Manage and mentor the design team, overseeing workflow, priorities, and project deadlines.
• Review designs and provide feedback to ensure quality and consistency across collections.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align design concepts with product needs, business goals, and production requirements.
• Oversee the design process from initial concept through final sample approval.
• Ensure products meet applicable quality, safety, and compliance standards.
• Review market trends and sales performance to inform future design direction.
• Present seasonal collections and design concepts to leadership and business partners.

Skills

Leadership

Team mentorship

Design direction

Garment construction

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Garment fabrics knowledge

Job description

Our client, an elevated childrenswear apparel manufacturer is seeking a Design Director for their Baby + Toddler division to join their team in NYC!

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative direction and development of seasonal children’s apparel collections.
• Partner with creative leadership to establish design concepts, color palettes, prints, and overall product direction.
• Manage and mentor the design team, overseeing workflow, priorities, and project deadlines.
• Review designs and provide feedback to ensure quality and consistency across collections.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align design concepts with product needs, business goals, and production requirements.
• Oversee the design process from initial concept through final sample approval.
• Ensure products meet applicable quality, safety, and compliance standards.
• Review market trends and sales performance to inform future design direction.
• Present seasonal collections and design concepts to leadership and business partners.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in children's apparel design
• Previous experience leading and developing large design teams.
• Strong understanding of fabrics, materials, and garment construction.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to take a hands-on approach and support the team as needed.

Hybrid, Mon-Thursday on site, Friday WFH.