Design Director

3.1 Phillip Lim is looking for a Designer Director to lead our WRTW team and work closely alongside our Accessories and Footwear teams. Applications must include a portfolio of work for the candidate to be considered, and are to be submitted to hr@31philliplim.com

What you'll do:

Lead the Team:

• Lead and create exceptional, brand-right designs that reflect the conceptual creative direction and business strategy. You will create seasonal mood and story boards, while owning and driving the design narrative for WRTW.
• Be highly communicative and responsive both within your team and across the company while managing the needs of each seasonal calendar.
• Empower and mentor direct reports, foster a cohesive, committed, passionate, productive, and positive environment within a growing team.
• Coach your team in expanding mastery of our business goals and proactively drive creative and strategic solutions and results.

Develop Collections:

• Develop seasonal product with a focus on style, fit and fabric that elevates and emphasizes on the brand initiative while delivering a cohesive message that adheres to the DNA of the brand. Build, develop and present seasonal concept/mood boards.
• Supervise the development of Print and Embroidery across all collections – driving newness and fresh perspectives.
• Research seasonal trim ideas and collaborate with Material and PD teams for seasonal execution.
• Deliver product designs with flawless execution, achieving goals with speed, agility and acute attention to details.
• Present to sales and merchandising teams at various milestones in the calendar.
• Develop an understanding of our culture and purpose through immersion in our brand values, in our products, in consumer/market trends influencing global markets.

Collaborate:

• Lead the design functions, collaborating with partners on your cross-functional teams (PD, merchandising, sales, branding, press) to understand the needs of the business and establish a structure, and end-to-end workflows designed to best serve those needs.
• Collaborate with merch and sales on full comprehension of seasonal line plans. Understanding the needs of the business and combine with the creative direction of the brand to conclude on a well-balanced assortment for each collection.
• Work within the line plan to design merchandise that is consistent with the brand strategy, and which coordinates with the presentation of other designers within a merchandise category or theme.
• Identify the definition of core volume drivers that will positively impact the bottom line and enhance design integrity.
• Partner with production and sourcing to design merchandise that fits within the costing parameters and target customer profile of the brand strategy.
• Collaborate and communicate with key partners throughout the design process including atelier, product development and technical design.
• Ensure deliverables meet time commitments without compromising design excellence.

High Level Thinking:

• Holistic understanding of product life cycle: concept, development and production, working proactively to minimize issues throughout cycle & transitions.
• Understanding of current WRTW business – success/opportunities for collection, consumer expectations, target costs, with the ability to find appropriate creative solutions.
• Conscious of current fashion market and 3.1 Phillip Lim's position within it.
• Understanding collection timelines and milestones.
• Using resources wisely and collecting information to make informed decisions.
• Uses a combination of creative thinking and logic to solve problems -- presentations of an 'issue' are accompanied by multiple thought-out and feasible solutions.
• Exhibit objectivity and openness to others' views by being receptive to feedback, building a positive team spirit, and supporting everyone’s efforts to succeed.

What you have:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience working in a luxury brand as a leader in Design.
• High level of sketch and rendering – able to accurately communicate ideas through sketching and ability to execute 'press-ready' illustrations.
• High standard of product finishing, execution and fit.
• Exceptional ability to fit – able to identify issues with garment, confident with pinning, working directly with patternmaker, and determining next steps.
• Have a creative eye and a passion for all things artistic and creative; with the high ability to cull research that is season and brand appropriate.
• Is proactive in research compilation, with a high level of standards for information pulled and disciplined, to edit down to what is most essential/appropriate for the season's direction.
• High ability to prepare and present presentations in an organized fashion, illustrating points clearly (visually) and an ability to lead meetings with clearly articulated purpose and objectives.
• Ability to understand the business needs of the brand while balancing the creative/aspirational POV.
• Ability to create drapes and full garments to present in a 3-D format during design work time.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and inform stakeholders, both inside and outside of the company, at all levels, both written and verbal.
• High ability to manage workloads and personnel in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledgeable about fabrics: construction, drape, appropriate use, quality.
• Basic/fundamental atelier knowledge: steaming, pressing, sewing machine, serger, buttonholes, garment sewing and swatch development.
• Computer skills must include Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office.