Design Director

DESIGN/FASHION DIRECTOR

About Our Client

One of Australia's most iconic and enduring fashion houses, our client has been crafting timeless, beautifully considered womenswear for decades. Built on a legacy of empowering women through exceptional design, the brand is renowned for its precision tailoring, elevated fabrications, and a distinct aesthetic that has remained relevant and coveted across generations. 

About the Role
This is a rare and significant opportunity for a highly experienced fashion creative to step into one of Australian fashion's most prestigious design leadership roles.

As Fashion Director, you will lead the creative direction and execution of seasonal collections from concept through to final product. You will work closely with the buying team to deliver against the range plan, and present work in progress to the CEO at key milestones throughout the development process.

You'll bring both creative vision and hands-on technical ability to the role, actively working alongside your team in the design room while setting the standard for the brand's aesthetic across every category.

This role demands a designer who deeply respects the brand's design identity and who can channel their own creative sensibility within that framework, elevating the range season after season without losing what makes the brand singular.

Key Responsibilities
Creative Direction & Range Development

• Lead the seasonal creative direction for all collections, ensuring every range is cohesive, on-brand, and commercially relevant
• Work in close partnership with the buying team to deliver product that meets the range plan, balancing creative ambition with commercial and margin requirements
• Conduct thorough trend, fabric, print, and market research to inform seasonal direction across all categories
• Develop and present seasonal concepts, mood, colour, and fabric stories rooted in the brand's DNA
• Maintain a deep understanding of the brand's heritage, aesthetic identity, and customer, using this as the creative foundation for all decision-making

Design Execution (Hands On)

• Be an active, hands-on presence in the design room: sketching, reviewing samples, providing fit and construction feedback, and working directly alongside the team
• Review and approve all tech packs, specifications, and sample submissions, ensuring technical accuracy and design integrity at every stage
• Oversee fit sessions and sample approvals in collaboration with garment technicians and pattern makers
• Drive a high standard of finish, construction, and attention to detail across every product in the range

WIP Presentations & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead regular Work In Progress presentations to the CEO, communicating seasonal direction, range status, and key creative decisions with clarity and confidence
• Incorporate feedback from CEO reviews into the development process in a timely and considered way
• Collaborate cross-functionally with buying, production, marketing, and retail teams to ensure seasonal collections are delivered and presented with impact

Team Leadership & Design Room Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of designers, garment technicians, pattern makers, and machinists
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative design room culture where craft, quality, and creativity are equally valued
• Manage workload, priorities, and critical path timelines across the design room to ensure on-time delivery at every stage of development
• Recruit and develop talent aligned with the brand's values, aesthetic, and standards
• Set clear expectations and provide regular feedback to keep the team performing at its best

Brand Integrity

• Act as custodian of the brand's creative identity, ensuring the design language, aesthetic, and quality standards are upheld across every touchpoint
• Balance creative autonomy with real respect for the brand's established visual identity and loyal customer
• Continuously seek ways to evolve and elevate the range within the boundaries of what makes the brand iconic

About You

• 10+ years of experience in fashion design, with significant time spent in a senior creative leadership role within a premium or luxury womenswear environment
• A portfolio that demonstrates both strong creative vision and technical design excellence
• Deeply hands-on, as comfortable on the tools in the design room as presenting to the CEO
• An intuitive understanding of premium womenswear, fabrication, construction, tailoring, fit, and finish
• Proven experience leading and developing design room teams, including designers, pattern makers, garment technicians, and machinists
• A strong ability to work within an established brand framework, channelling creativity through a defined and non-negotiable aesthetic
• Excellent communicator with the gravitas and confidence to present to senior leadership and influence key decisions
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple seasonal timelines simultaneously
• A real passion for craft, quality, and the art of dressing women beautifully
• Experience working collaboratively with buying and production teams to deliver commercially viable, beautifully executed ranges