Hammitt - Senior Designer - Hermosa Beach ✨
Job Summary
The Senior Designer supports the Design Department in the trend and data driven development and execution of silhouettes, seasonal collections, color, material stories, and product innovation. This role will need to balance creativity with technical expertise, and apply Hammitt’s brand aesthetic and luxury market awareness. The Senior Designer oversees the full design cycle from concept to production, collaborating closely with product development and merchandising, marketing and sales channels. A core function of this role is to spearhead the creation of tech packs and CADs, and to ensure effective design handoff from sketch to production.
Essential Functions
- Support the Design Director in seasonal product development, from concept through final sample while maintaining timeline and deadlines
- Create CADs and sketches for tech packs for handbags, accessories, hardware, print, and other relevant applications
- Research and present trends, color palettes, and material innovations relevant to the brand and customer drawing from personal expertise
- Partner with the Merchandising and Production departments to create price point driven silhouettes
- Collaborate with Production to resolve design/technical issues during sampling and production
- Work closely with Design and Production teams to ensure all tech packs are delivered on time with accurate BOMs, proper construction, and cost effectiveness
- Source new materials, hardware, and treatments under guidance of the Design Director
- Contribute to seasonal mood boards, companywide trend presentations, material care guides, and brand storytelling assets
- Create best practices for maintaining organized design files, libraries, and archive systems
- Adapt to expanding product offering categories and research and deliver accordingly
- Work within WFX to create processes and organization for records and communication
- Lead companywide prototype reviews, sample reviews, material reviews, treatment reviews, and line layout reviews, documenting and updating changes
- Assist in designing collaborations and special projects working with Marketing and outside consultants and brands
- Serve as the expert at trend forecasting and knowing what is next in the fashion and handbag industry
- Contribute ideas that keep the brand innovative, relevant, and commercially viable
- Possess solid understanding of product lifecycle and production calendar
- Travel domestically and internationally, as needed, for research, sourcing or development trips
Other Roles and Responsibilities
- Communicates effectively with internal teams and external vendors
- Balances creativity with cost and feasibility
- Takes initiative, anticipates and responds quickly to problems and takes appropriate action
- Displays resourcefulness and responds creatively, practically, and with composure to challenging situations
- Prioritizes effectively based on expectations and business goals, assess the importance of tasks and issues, meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment, communicating to Senior Manager as appropriate
- Grasps new information and ideas timely and incorporates them into current processes
- Practices good business decision-making by analyzing information from a variety of sources to make effective decisions and solve problems
- Demonstrates appropriate technical skills and business knowledge to perform job duties
Knowledge, Experience, and Skills
- Degree in Fashion Design, Industrial Design, or related field
- 5–7 years’ experience in women’s handbag design in the contemporary market
- 5-7 years’ working with foreign factories and vendors on product development and sourcing
- Expert in CAD, Illustrator, Photoshop, and tech pack creation
- Visual and Digital presentations
- Pattern making
- Strong sketching and rendering ability; excellent eye for proportion and detail
- Solid understanding of handbags, construction, and production processes
- Familiarity with PLM systems, WGSN, and trend forecasting resources
- Knowledge of leather and hardware development
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Ability to interpret sales data to inform design decisions
- Ability to manage and mentor junior team members
- Must be able to travel internationally
Full-time, in office at Hammitt Headquarters in Hermosa Beach
Salary + benefits (medical, vision, dental, 401K matching)