LUXURY DESIGN HOUSE| SYDNEY
-
This brand is the epitome of Australian Luxury. With a global presence in high-end, contemporary womenswear design, this label is a major player on every it-girls list. The brand is instantly recognisable and holds an unbeatable reputation. Internally, the company is going from strength to strength and is continuing to see growth in all the right directions, it truely is a key time to join them. A career here means joining the forefront of Australian fashion that’s celebrated across global runways, leading boutiques and adding one of Australia’s most directional and coveted womenswear labels to your repertoire.
-
FOUNDER LED: Work for a founder-led brand where you will be incredibly close to the vision, creativity and purpose of the brand and entire operation.
MENTORSHIP EXPOSURE: From collaboration with the CEO and founder to atelier staff, working in this intimate team will give you exposure to mentorship and close working relationships with all departments
INTERNATIONAL STANDING: A brand that is adored for it's luxury standards and renowned tailoring, you'll add a globally recognised brand to your resume (whilst also finessing your ability to operate at a true luxury standard, no matter what department you're joining).
-
Significant senior design experience in an international luxury or designer ready-to-wear house, ideally as Design Director, Head of Design or Senior Design Manager.
Experience partnering with a Founder, Creative Director or Artistic Director in a design-led environment.
Proven ownership of complete runway and commercial ready-to-wear collections.
Exceptional expertise in garment construction, fit, patternmaking, fabrics, tailoring and draping.
Ability to translate conceptual ideas into resolved, desirable luxury products.
Proven leadership and development of multidisciplinary design teams.
Knowledge of international luxury markets, customers and manufacturing standards.
Strong seasonal calendar and deadline management, communication and commercial awareness.
Experience within a recognised Paris, Milan or London luxury fashion house.
Paris Fashion Week development and presentation experience.
Specialist expertise in tailoring, draping, eveningwear, luxury fabrications or innovative construction.
Established international relationships with specialist mills, ateliers and suppliers.
Experience scaling a founder-led luxury brand without diluting its identity.
MANAGING CONSULTANT
Leah Pagan, Principal Recruitment Consultant
Contact:
Leah@reliergroup.com
THE ROLE
We are seeking an exceptional Design Director to partner with the Founder and Creative Director to lead the evolution of a contemporary luxury fashion house. This senior role requires outstanding creative vision, technical expertise, product knowledge and proven leadership to deliver distinctive, commercially relevant collections and build a high-performing design team.
Key Responsibilities
1. Creative Direction & Collection Development
Translate the Founder’s creative vision into cohesive seasonal collections across runway, pre-collection and ready-to-wear.
Lead design research, concepts, silhouettes, fabric direction, colour palettes and detailing.
Maintain the house’s signature design codes while driving innovation and creative excellence.
2. Product Excellence & Technical Development
Oversee garment construction, fit, quality and craftsmanship from concept through production.
Lead fittings and collaborate with patternmakers, technical designers and production teams.
Resolve technical challenges while ensuring design integrity and production readiness.
3. Design Leadership & Team Development
Lead, mentor and develop a collaborative, high-performing design team.
Establish clear responsibilities, creative priorities and development processes.
Act as the Founder’s trusted creative partner, supporting the delivery of the overall artistic vision.
4. Commercial Strategy & Collection Architecture
Partner with executive, merchandising and commercial teams to align creative direction with business objectives.
Use customer insights, market trends and sales performance to inform product development.
Balance innovation, wearability, luxury quality and commercial relevance.
5. Design Operations & Delivery
Manage seasonal critical paths, development milestones, fittings, approvals and production handovers.
Ensure effective coordination across Design, Atelier, Product Development, Production and Commercial teams.
Proactively address timelines, resources and technical challenges to ensure on-time delivery.
6. Fabrication, Craftsmanship & Innovation
Explore premium fabrics, innovative materials, specialist techniques and construction methods.
Build relationships with international suppliers, mills, artisans and ateliers.
Champion exceptional craftsmanship while balancing innovation with production feasibility.
7. Runway & International Presentations
Lead design readiness and execution for international runway collections and presentations.
Collaborate with the Founder on final looks, styling, silhouettes and collection cohesion.
Oversee final fittings, samples and presentation quality, supporting showroom markets and collection launches