MCQUEEN Collection Development Manager, RTW

McQueen is a British luxury fashion house founded by Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992. In 2001, the house joined the Kering Group and, since December 2023, is under the creative direction of Seán McGirr.

McQueen is distinctive for an expression of individuality, subversive strength and raw power. With a design studio and atelier based in London, the house is known for uncompromising quality and creative vision.

At McQueen, we live and breathe a culture defined by our key Behaviours:

• Empowerment – We empower our team and peers, providing unwavering support to ensure everyone can thrive; this means giving support to your team and those you are working with to succeed.

• Teamwork – We put an emphasis on Teamwork; this means working together as a collective to achieve shared goals.

• Respect – We value respect, treating everyone with dignity and showing genuine appreciation for their efforts: this means treating everyone equally.

• Kindness – We believe kindness is integral to everything we do; this means demonstrating compassion and empathy towards others. 

How will you contribute?

Managing all Menswear Categories (Excluding Core Jersey & Knitwear), Denim, Leatherwear, Outerwear and Soft Accessories for both Men’s & Women’s (CMT) and all Menswear styles through the Atelier:

• Bridge Creative and Technical Functions: Serve as the primary liaison between Design team and the Product Development team based in Italy, ensuring clear and consistent communication across all phases of collection development.
• Process Leadership: Follow and enforce collection development milestones, ensuring alignment with global timelines, costing frameworks, and quality standards.
• Document stewardship: Own the accuracy and integrity of all data related to the categories managed within Kubix, ensuring design specifications, fabric choices, and technical details are fully captured and updated.
• Collaboration with Merchandising: Partner closely with Merchandising to support range building, collection balance, and pricing strategy through the development phase.
• Technical Translation: Interpret design direction into technical language and documentation suitable for the relevant stakeholders (Product Development team, Atelier).
• Problem-Solving: Anticipate and mitigate potential bottlenecks between design, Product Development, and production, maintaining momentum and ensuring deliverables are achieved to calendar.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Foster collaboration between London-based design teams and Italian Product Development counterparts, ensuring adherence to established processes and maintaining McQueen’s standards of craftsmanship and innovation.
• Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the evolution of development tools, processes, and communication channels to enhance efficiency and precision across the menswear category.
• Occasionally take on additional categories and projects as and when the collection demands.

Required Skills:

• You will be able to demonstrate the desired McQueen behaviours.
• Proven experience within a luxury or premium fashion environment, ideally in a collection or product development management role.
• Deep understanding of menswear product construction, good knowledge of denim and leather products, materials, and development timelines.
• Strong knowledge of PLM systems (Kubix) and proficiency in maintaining detailed technical documentation.
• Exceptional cross-functional communication skills, able to operate with diplomacy and influence across creative and technical teams.
• Strong organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail and an ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in CAD software and technical design tools.
•  Fluent in English and good command of Italian
• A collaborative mindset and a passion for safeguarding creative integrity while delivering product excellence.

Please Note: This job description is not exhaustive and may evolve as the needs of the organisation change.

Kering is committed to building a diverse workforce. We believe diversity in all its forms – gender, age, nationality, culture, religious beliefs and sexual orientation – enriches the workplace. It opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to adapt to a changing world. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their background.