Men's Technical Design Manager

ICON Luxury Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Luxury or premium brand background

Job summary

ICON Luxury Group is seeking a Technical Design Manager to build and lead all technical design functions for Cole Haan Sportswear, a new men’s line launching under license. You will own the full technical design process, from concept through production sign-off, and drive fit, tech packs, grading, and vendor collaboration.

The role requires deep knowledge of menswear classifications, hands-on pattern making, grading across US sizes, and a proven ability to establish processes from scratch.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience across menswear categories including wovens, knits, fleece, outerwear, activewear, and lifestyle sportswear.
• Ability to read and correct flat patterns; direct collaboration with pattern makers required.
• Strong command of US men’s size grading and grade rules across body areas.
• 10+ years in technical design in menswear, with at least 2 years in a senior or managerial role.
• Self-directed and able to build processes from scratch without existing infrastructure.
• Experience collaborating with overseas manufacturers on technical comments and approvals.
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator, MS Office/Excel, and PLM systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee full product lifecycle from concept to production sign-off.
• Own tech packs with specs, construction details, graded measurements and callouts.
• Lead pattern making and grading across the full US men’s size scale.
• Manage fit sessions with male fit model and communicate corrections to vendors.
• Serve as primary technical contact with factories, including overseas partners.
• Develop fit and construction standards, grade rules and approval workflows.
• Collaborate with design, product development, and sourcing to ensure quality and design intent.
• Provide input on cost of construction and materials to meet targets.

Skills

Menswear experience

Pattern making

Grading

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Microsoft Office/Excel

PLM systems

Job description

ICON Luxury Group is looking for a Technical Design Manager to build and lead all technical design functions for Cole Haan Sportswear, a new men's sportswear line launching under license.

Cole Haan is an iconic American brand with nearly 100 years of history, and this is a ground-floor opportunity to help shape what the sportswear category looks like under that name.

The right candidate is a self-starter who can operate independently, set up processes from scratch, and own the full technical design. Experience across all men's classifications is essential, as is deep knowledge of fitting, pattern making and grading.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Full product lifecycle — manage technical design from initial concept and first proto through fit approvals, PP samples, and production sign-off
• Tech pack ownership — create and maintain tech packs including specs, construction details, graded measurements, and callouts
• Pattern making and grading — apply strong knowledge of flat pattern construction and grading across the full US men's size scale for all product classifications
• Fit sessions — lead all fittings on a male fit model, identify issues, and communicate clear technical corrections to vendors
• Vendor communication — act as primary technical contact with overseas and domestic factories; manage comments, revisions, and approvals
• Standards and process development — build fit standards, construction standards, grade rules, and approval workflows from the ground up
• Cross-functional collaboration — work closely with design, product development, and sourcing to commercialize product without compromising quality or design intent
• Cost engineering — provide input on construction and material decisions with an eye toward manufacturability and cost targets

REQUIREMENTS

• Menswear across all classifications — must have hands-on experience in wovens, knits, fleece, outerwear, activewear, performance wear, and lifestyle sportswear
• Pattern making — must be able to read, evaluate, and give actionable corrections on flat patterns; direct experience working with pattern makers required
• Grading — strong command of US men's size scale grading and grade rules across all body areas; ability to review and correct factory grading
• 10+ years of technical design experience — in menswear, with at least 2 years in a senior or managerial capacity
• Self-directed work style — proven ability to operate independently and build processes without existing infrastructure
• Factory experience — direct collaboration with overseas manufacturers on technical comments, fit corrections, and approvals
• Software — Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Office/Excel, PLM systems required

PRODUCT CATEGORIES

• Suitings
• Lifestyle sportswear
• Sweater
• Woven tops & bottoms
• Knit tops & fleece
• Outerwear & layering
• Training & athleisure
• NICE TO HAVE – Luxury or premium brand background
• Cross-cultural vendor communication

EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Technical Design, Apparel Merchandising, or Textile Science preferred — or equivalent experience with demonstrated mastery of technical design.