Sweater Design Director - Contemporary Market

Li & Fung; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Brilliant Group is seeking a Sweater Design Director to lead the design and development of sweater collections for Women’s Contemporary. The hybrid role offers fast-paced, trend-driven work with global scope across the US, Europe, and Asia.

Lead a team, oversee production, and deliver commercially successful designs that align with brand direction. The candidate should have 15+ years in Fully Fashioned sweater design, a strong portfolio, and proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field.
• 15+ years of Fully Fashioned sweater design experience in women’s contemporary market.
• Experience leading a design team and collaborating cross-functionally.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative range and technical sweater construction.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva, Miro and relevant ai design software.
• Deep understanding of yarns, stitches, tech packs, cost engineering, and attention to detail.
• Ability to translate market trends and insights into on-brand, saleable concepts.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and time-management skills.
• Experience with overseas factories/vendors and travel for meetings.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop innovative sweater collections for women’s contemporary market.
• Lead and mentor a team of designers and collaborate with cross-functional partners.
• Create design presentations, sketches, and tech packs with construction details.
• Source yarns, trims, and embellishments meeting quality, cost, and design goals.
• Translate customer feedback and retail insights into commercially successful designs.
• Oversee sample development, fittings, revisions, and approvals.
• Build relationships with overseas vendors and attend trend shows and meetings.

Skills

Sweater design

Team leadership

Trend analysis

Tech packs

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Miro

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Canva

Miro

Job description

Are you a movement maker? Are you seeking new and exciting career opportunities?

Here is what you need to know about the job:

Brilliant Group is seeking a Sweater Design Director to lead the design and development of sweater collections for our Women’s Contemporary market. This Hybrid role offers the opportunity to work within a fast-paced, trend-driven category with full visibility into the global knitwear landscape, including US, Europe, and Asia. The position plays a key role in creating curated collections that reflect current trends and deliver strong results for our key retail partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop innovative sweater collections for the women’s contemporary market, incorporating the latest trends, yarns, and stitch techniques.
• Collaborate with Head of Design & cross-functional teams to align on brand direction, seasonal concepts, and customer needs.
• Conduct monthly market research and trend analysis to identify emerging styles, colors, and silhouettes relevant to the junior’s demographic.
• Create detailed design presentations, sketches, and tech packs that communicate construction details, fit, and sizing specifications.
• Source and select appropriate yarns, trims, and embellishments that meet quality, cost, and design objectives.
• Partner with Sales and Merchandising teams to translate customer feedback and retail insights into commercially successful designs.
• Manage a team of designers
• Oversee sample development, including fit sessions, revisions, and approvals, ensuring design integrity from concept through production.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with overseas vendors, factories, and suppliers to ensure timely development and execution.
• Attend trade shows and trend shows.
• Travel for in person meetings with customers each season

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in Fully Fashioned sweater design, ideally within the women’s contemporary market.
• Experience managing a team of designers.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative range and technical expertise in sweater design.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva, Miro and relevant ai design software.
• Deep understanding of yarns, stitches, and sweater construction, Tech pack proficiency, cost engineering, with a strong attention to detail.
• Proven ability to interpret market trends and consumer insights into on-brand, saleable product concepts.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and time-management skills.
• Experience working with overseas counterparts, factories, and vendors.
• Passion for fashion, creativity, and innovation, with the ability to balance trend awareness and commercial appeal.

#cobalt

As an equal opportunity employer, we shall consider all applicants regardless of gender, age, religion, marital status, race, sexual orientation, disability, disease, pregnancy, or trade union and/or political affiliation, and disregard all factors deemed inappropriate by local law and the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.