Our client, a leading menswear importer located in the heart of Montreal’s fashion district, is looking for a Design and Product Development Director to add to their team!

1. Design Development

• Travel to Europe for sample shopping (customs declarations, tax free submissions)
• Travel to fabric shows / sourcing shows looking for new product / suppliers
• Work with Sample Room clerk to categorize and organize the samples when they arrive
• Prepare the SKU plan for each season
• Work with CEO and the designers to develop the line
• Prepare trend research and direction for the new season for all brands with CEO
• Work with the designers on color cards
• Work with the designers on styling details and artworks
• Work with Graphic Designers and the designers to prepare the CAD’s and approve them
• Work with the Sales Team to try and help them understand each style
• Prepare product information logs and all tools (color cards, cads, binders, fabric swatches, etc…) for the sales team
• Work with the sales team and the customers to present the Product
• Review the designers on tech packs to make sure all details are accurate and clear for the garment makers
• Overlook fit and specs with the designers and Fit Technician
• Overlook with the designers of lab dips, handlooms, strike offs, trims, fits, pp samples, etc…
• Meeting with designers and suppliers to follow up on SMS developments and timelines

 2. Costing:

• Collecting orders and participating in the buys of all commodities to accumulate totals.
• Work with the fabric mills to establish all fabric qualities, information, and negotiate prices
• Meeting with factories to see what can be done to reduce prices and achieve targets
• Work with the garment makers to negotiate all prices even further at the time of order placement and place all orders. I have a costing spreadsheet that I will share. It works well for me and can be a good starting point for whoever will take over this task.
• Confirming orders (prices and deliveries) and making sure po’s are issued
• Working with the design team to make sure that all items have been sent to the supplier so they can successfully produce each style.

 3. Manage the team:

• Work with the team to make sure they have the answers and tools to perform their job and create the product by answering technical questions that arise and finding solutions
• Collect all parcels that arrive and distribute them accordingly.
• Overseeing all samples to make sure everything is ok and comments go out in a timely manner
• Keep track of absences and holiday requests, and communicate with HR on these matters
• Dealing with day to day issues that arise to make sure everyone is ok