Job Title: Senior Designer
Location: New York City, Midtown Manhattan – Fashion District (On-Site)
Department: Karl Lagerfeld Paris – Sportswear, Suits & Dresses
Reports To: Senior Vice President of Design
About G-III Apparel Group:
G-III excels at bringing excitement and confidence to customers through the fashion we create. We are global experts in design, sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and marketing, which enables us to fuel the growth of a substantial portfolio of brands. With more than 30 licensed and owned brands, including some of the most sought-after names in global fashion, our success is driven by our team’s entrepreneurial spirit and our deep relationships across the industry.
Position Summary:
We are seeking an experienced and creative temporary Senior Designer to support the design and development of seasonal collections for Karl Lagerfeld Paris across Sportswear, Suits, and Dresses. This role will be responsible for developing high-quality, commercially relevant collections that reflect the Karl Lagerfeld Paris brand aesthetic while balancing creativity, trend, and merchandising objectives.
The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in women's apparel design, strong technical knowledge of garment construction, fit, and fabrication, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to execute cohesive collections from initial concept through production.
Key Responsibilities:
• Research current and emerging fashion trends, applying insights that align with the Karl Lagerfeld Paris brand aesthetic.
• Conduct extensive market, fabric, and style research through blogs, magazines, retail, street style, and vintage sources to inform seasonal direction.
• Develop well-balanced, seasonally relevant collections across women's sportswear, suiting, and dresses that reflect brand identity and strategic merchandising goals.
• Create cohesive assortments incorporating silhouettes, fabrics, trims, colors, and design details appropriate to each product category.
• Communicate seasonal design intent and concept direction to overseas factories, requesting initial treatments, mock-ups, and development samples.
• Create comprehensive technical packages detailing silhouettes, garment construction, fabrications, trims, and finishes.
• Review prototypes, attend fittings, and communicate adjustments to overseas factories using annotated photographs, specifications, and technical sketches.
• Evaluate collection development and refine designs or refabricate styles to align with SKU targets and seasonal objectives.
• Collaborate with the Design team and stylists to translate seasonal concepts into elevated, brand-right product.
• Partner with Merchandising and Design leadership during seasonal product introductions, line reviews, and collection presentations.
• Work closely with Production Managers to ensure accurate execution of design, color, fabrication, and construction throughout the production process.
• Respond to merchandising requests and provide creative support across Sportswear, Suits, and Dresses as needed.
• Manage multiple seasonal development priorities while ensuring design milestones and deadlines are met.
Who You Are:
• A creative and experienced designer with a strong understanding of women's contemporary fashion and the Karl Lagerfeld Paris aesthetic.
• A strategic thinker who balances creative vision with commercial and merchandising objectives.
• A highly technical designer with extensive knowledge of garment construction, fit, fabrications, and product development.
• A collaborative team player who works effectively with Design, Merchandising, Production, and overseas partners.
• A detail-oriented professional who can manage multiple product categories and seasonal deadlines.
• A proactive self-starter who can work independently and contribute immediately in a fast-paced environment.
Qualifications:
• 10+ years of professional experience in high-end or contemporary women's fashion design.
• Strong design experience across women's sportswear, suiting, and dresses.
• Extensive knowledge of garment construction, pattern drafting, draping, fabrication, fit, and seasonal collection development.
• Experience in both retail and wholesale product development environments.
• Strong understanding of seasonal merchandising strategies, line plans, and SKU management.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
• Strong sketching, CAD, technical package development, and presentation skills.
• Experience collaborating with overseas factories, vendors, and cross-functional teams.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• CV/Resume and work samples (Portfolio URL) required for initial consideration.
What We Offer:
• Competitive hourly compensation
• Opportunity to collaborate with established fashion design teams
• Exposure to multiple product categories within Karl Lagerfeld Paris
The pay for this freelance position is: $75.00 per hour.
Please note that the foregoing compensation information is a good-faith assessment associated with this position only and is provided pursuant to the New York City Salary Transparency Law.
G-III Apparel Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
About G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. | www.g-iii.com
G-III's owned brands include DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld Paris, Donna Karan, Vilebrequin, Sonia Rykiel, G.H. Bass, Bass Outdoor, Andrew Marc, Eliza J., G-III Sports and more. G-III has fashion licenses under Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Cole Haan, Dockers, Guess?, Kenneth Cole, Levi's, Vince Camuto, Margaritaville and more. G-III also operates retail stores for the DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld Paris and Donna Karan brands.