Vice President of Design, DKNY

Location: New York City, Midtown Manhattan – Fashion District (On-Site)

About the Role

We are seeking an accomplished and visionary Vice President of Design, Dresses to lead the DKNY Dresses design team. This role will oversee the development of seasonal collections that align with the DKNY brand aesthetic while balancing creativity, innovation, and commercial success. The ideal candidate is a strategic design leader with extensive experience in women's dresses, exceptional trend forecasting abilities, and a proven track record of developing cohesive collections that meet merchandising, margin, and production objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative direction and development of seasonal DKNY Dresses collections from concept through production.
• Research current and emerging fashion trends, forecasting their evolution while ensuring alignment with the DKNY brand identity.
• Conduct extensive market research through runway shows, retail analysis, street style, vintage inspiration, blogs, magazines, and competitive shopping to develop seasonally relevant collections.
• Develop cohesive assortments that are balanced in fabrication, silhouette, color, print, and merchandising strategy.
• Communicate seasonal design concepts and creative direction to overseas factories, requesting preliminary treatments, prototypes, and mock-ups.
• Create and oversee comprehensive technical packages detailing silhouettes, garment construction, trims, fabrics, and finishes.
• Review prototypes, attend fittings, and communicate design revisions through photographs, technical specifications, and annotated sketches.
• Evaluate collection development and refine designs to support seasonal objectives, line plans, SKU targets, and financial goals.
• Partner with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, and Sales to ensure design integrity throughout the product lifecycle.
• Work closely with the Senior Vice President of Design during seasonal presentations and product introductions.
• Oversee garment execution through production, ensuring accurate development, fabrication, color allocation, and quality standards.
• Provide creative leadership, mentorship, and direction to the design team while supporting cross-functional business initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of apparel design experience, with extensive experience in women's dresses.
• Luxury or contemporary fashion background required.
• Strong expertise in dress construction, pattern drafting, draping, fabrication, and print development.
• Experience in both wholesale and retail product development environments.
• Proven ability to lead seasonal collection development from concept through production.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and other design software.
• Exceptional organizational, leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
• Portfolio demonstrating high-end dress design experience is required for consideration.

Who You Are

• A visionary design leader with a passion for contemporary women's fashion and luxury dress design.
• A strategic thinker who balances creativity with strong commercial and merchandising instincts.
• A collaborative leader who inspires teams and builds strong cross-functional partnerships.
• An exceptional communicator who effectively partners with overseas vendors and internal stakeholders.
• A results-driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Performance-based bonus opportunities
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and 401(k)
• PTO and company holidays
• Employee discounts
• A collaborative, creative work environment with opportunities for growth and development

Pay

$200,000 – $250,000 per year