Location:

Manhattan

•Menswear experience required

• Our client is seeking an accomplished apparel design leader to guide the creative direction and seasonal development of knitwear while remaining deeply involved in the design of casual bottoms, denim, and outerwear. This is a high-impact opportunity for a commercially minded creative who can set a compelling product vision, lead teams, and bring collections from early concept through final execution. What You'll Do Shape seasonal product strategy and creative direction across knitwear and select sportswear categories. Lead the development of knit and sweater assortments, including color, yarn, gauge, silhouette, fabrication, construction, and finishing details. Personally drive the design of bottoms, denim, and outerwear from concept through sample approval. Translate market intelligence, consumer insights, and business priorities into relevant, well-balanced product assortments. Guide concept reviews, line presentations, fit sessions, quality reviews, and final approvals across the seasonal calendar. Partner with merchandising, planning, sourcing, production, technical design, quality, and vendors to deliver on-brand product within timing, cost, and margin expectations. Assess design feasibility, resolve product-development issues, and provide clear direction on samples, materials, fit, and construction. Use emerging design technology—including AI-enabled ideation, forecasting, visualization, and virtual sampling—to enhance the creative process. Mentor and develop team members, setting clear priorities, expectations, and standards for execution. Maintain visibility into critical-path milestones, risks, and open decisions across multiple categories and timelines. What You'll Bring Substantial experience in apparel design or product development, with strong knitwear and sweater expertise. Hands-on design experience in bottoms, denim, outerwear, or related product categories. A strong command of apparel construction, fit, materials, wash techniques, costing, quality, and production processes. Experience leading a category or team while managing detailed design responsibilities across several product areas. The ability to balance creative ambition with commercial needs, calendar deadlines, product quality, and operational realities. Excellent communication, organization, presentation, decision-making, and cross-functional partnership skills. A degree in fashion design, product development, textiles, merchandising, or a related discipline is preferred. Flexibility to travel for vendor meetings, market research, and product-development activity as needed. What Success Looks Like Distinctive, commercially relevant knitwear and sportswear collections that align with brand and customer expectations. Clear decisions, strong product quality, and reliable delivery against seasonal development milestones. Highly effective collaboration across creative, merchandising, planning, sourcing, production, and vendor partners. A capable, engaged design team with clear ownership and a shared commitment to product excellence.