Manager Design

Key Responsibilities:

Design & Collection Development:

• Lead and coordinate the design team in the development of seasonal collections, ensuring alignment with the creative vision, strategic priorities and objectives set by the Design Director.
• Drive in-depth research into brand-relevant trends, consumer insights, market developments and product opportunities to establish compelling seasonal concepts. Develop and oversee cohesive mood boards, colourpalettes, concept presentations and product stories that translate the KARL LAGERFELD JEANS brand DNA into a distinctive, relevant and commercially compelling creative direction.
• Translate seasonal concepts, trend research and market insights into cohesive, innovative and commercially viable collections that strengthen the KARL LAGERFELD JEANS brand identity and resonate with its target consumer.
• Oversee the design development of Men’s, Women’s and Denim collections, ensuring a consistent overarching brand vision while preserving the distinctive identity and product focus of each category.
• Drive product innovation across fits, silhouettes, fabrics, washes, finishes, colours, trims and detailing to deliver distinctive, relevant and differentiated products.
• Balance fashion-forward design with commercial priorities, ensuring collections respond to consumer expectations, reflect the brand’s price positioning and support overall business objectives.
• Embrace technological innovation by integrating AI-powered tools into the design process to enhance creativity and creative presentations. Previous experience with AI design tools is an advantage, alongside a strong willingness to explore, adopt and apply emerging technologies.

Graphics, Prints & Product Innovation

• Together with Graphic Designers, lead the development of graphics, prints, artworks, logos and branding applications that strengthen the identity and visual impact of the collection.
• Together with the Graphic Designers, guide and create original graphic concepts and evolve existing artwork to deliver fresh, relevant and commercially successful products.
• Explore innovative applications of graphics, washes, embellishments and surface treatments across apparel and denim.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Manage, guide and inspire the design team, providing clear direction, constructive feedback and creative support throughout the seasonal development process.
• Allocate responsibilities and monitor progress to ensure collections are delivered on time and to the required creative and technical standards.
• Foster a collaborative, proactive and solution-oriented team culture, encouraging creativity, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the Design Director and cross-functional teams, including Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, to align creative concepts with business needs.
• Present seasonal concepts, design proposals and collection developments to relevant stakeholders, clearly communicating the creative rationale and opportunities.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal teams, suppliers and external partners.

Product Development & Technical Execution

• Translate design concepts into clear design proposals, including sketches, AI renders, technical drawings, colourways and detailed product specifications.
• Create and oversee accurate, complete and production-ready technical packs, including construction details, measurements, materials, trims, artwork placement and finishing instructions.
• Collaborate with Product Development and suppliers throughout sampling and production to ensure the intended design, fit, quality and finishing are achieved.
• Participate in sample reviews and fittings, providing clear feedback and driving necessary adjustments to improve fit, construction, appearance and overall product quality.
• Ensure designs are developed in line with target costs, quality standards, production feasibility and seasonal timelines.
• Monitor the collection development calendar, identifying potential delays or challenges and taking proactive steps to ensure timely delivery.

Research, Market Awareness & Continuous Improvement:

• Conduct ongoing research into fashion trends, innovations, consumer behaviour, competitors, materials, colours, washes and emerging market opportunities.
• Translate catwalk, streetwear, youth culture and relevant lifestyle influences into commercially relevant designs aligned with the KARL LAGERFELD JEANS point of view.
• Visit suppliers, manufacturers, trade fairs and relevant industry events to discover new materials, techniques, technologies and product opportunities.
• Review market feedback and product performance with relevant teams to identify opportunities for future collection development.

The Profile:

Experience & Technical Expertise:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fashion Design or a related discipline.
• At least 8 years of experience in commercial apparel design, ideally including denim and casual-wear, with proven experience in developing and delivering seasonal collections.
• Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring or coordinating designers and managing multiple product categories.
• Strong understanding of product development, including fit, fabric sourcing, trims and garment construction.
• Proven expertise in graphics, prints, artwork development and branding applications.
• Excellent technical design skills, including technical sketches, detailed product specifications and production-ready technical packs.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; experience with PLM or other relevant fashion design and product development software.
• Strong understanding of fabric and material selection, garment construction, fit, quality, costing and production feasibility.
• Willingness and ability to travel to manufacturers, suppliers, trade fairs and other relevant industry destinations.
• Fluent in written and spoken English.
Creative & Commercial Mindset:
 
• Strong creative vision and distinctive product taste, with the ability to balance design excellence, innovation and commercial viability.
• Excellent fashion and market awareness, with the ability to identify relevant trends and translate them into compelling products that reflect the KARL LAGERFELD JEANS identity.
• A strong understanding of brand positioning, target consumers and the importance of delivering a consistent brand experience across collections.
• Ability to build on existing graphics, designs and brand codes while introducing fresh ideas and meaningful product innovation.
• Commercially minded, with an understanding of how design decisions influence product appeal, target pricing, margins and collection performance.
Leadership & Personal Attributes:
• Leadership: Able to motivate, guide and develop a design team while encouraging creativity, ownership and accountability.
• Collaboration: A proactive team player who works effectively across functions and builds strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Communication: An excellent communicator with the ability to present ideas convincingly, influence stakeholders and translate creative concepts into clear actions.
• Adaptability: Flexible and responsive to changing priorities, trends and business requirements.
• Performance under pressure: Able to thrive in a fast-paced, highly dynamic and commercially driven creative environment.
• Organisation & Efficiency: Structured, detail-oriented and capable of managing multiple projects, deadlines and development processes simultaneously.
• Initiative & Problem-solving: Anticipates challenges, identifies opportunities and takes ownership of finding effective solutions.
• Brand Passion: Enthusiastic, energetic and committed to expressing and strengthening the KARL LAGERFELD JEANS brand identity.
• Results orientation: Focused on translating creative ideas and team efforts into high-quality collections that deliver against creative, product and business objectives.