Design Director, Women's — Caslon, Voyelle & Chelsea 28 - Hybrid (Seattle, WA)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director, Women's — Caslon, Voyelle & Chelsea 28

Company: Nordstrom

Location: Seattle, WA

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Design Leadership / Apparel Design

Date Posted: April 21, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic creative vision and brand DNA for three distinct women's apparel brands: Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28, ensuring alignment with the overarching Nordstrom Made strategy.

• Inspire, mentor, and develop a high-performing design organization, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous growth within the design team.

• Establish and translate seasonal creative direction into commercially grounded product assortments, informed by customer insights, market trends, and cultural relevance.

• Drive brand evolution and design decisions by maintaining a deep connection to the market, leveraging comprehensive trend analysis, and synthesizing insights from fashion, culture, and adjacent industries.

• Act as a key strategic partner, collaborating closely with merchandising, planning, production, technology, and marketing to ensure the seamless execution of creative vision against financial targets and operational capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is classified under Design Leadership and Apparel Design due to the explicit responsibilities of defining creative vision, leading design teams, and overseeing multiple apparel brands within a retail context. The focus on brand DNA, seasonal direction, and cross-functional partnership strongly aligns with senior roles in product development and brand management within the fashion industry.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate the unique brand DNA and creative vision for Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28, ensuring clear differentiation while supporting the broader Nordstrom Made portfolio strategy.

• Manage, mentor, and inspire a team of designers, setting clear expectations for design excellence, innovation, and accountability to foster a high-performing creative organization.

• Develop seasonal creative direction, translating overarching concepts into compelling line visions and visual storytelling that resonates with the target customer and drives commercial success.

• Conduct in-depth market research, trend analysis, and customer insight gathering to inform brand evolution, product design, and strategic decision-making across all assigned brands.

• Collaborate intimately with cross-functional partners including merchandising, planning, production, and marketing to ensure the creative vision is translated into viable, profitable, and on-brand product assortments.

• Lead and present seasonal milestone reviews with clarity, confidence, and data-informed perspectives to influence key stakeholders and secure buy-in for creative strategies.

• Cultivate and maintain robust cross-functional relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and strategic partner across Nordstrom Made and the wider Nordstrom enterprise.

• Champion a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the design function, encouraging experimentation while upholding high standards for design quality and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership function focused on brand vision, team development, and cross-functional alignment. The emphasis on translating creative concepts into commercial performance, managing multiple brands, and influencing stakeholders points to a senior role requiring significant experience in apparel design and retail strategy.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or a related field.

Experience: 10–15 years of experience leading fashion design teams, with a proven track record of building, scaling, and developing high-performing creative organizations.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated success in leading and developing multiple fashion design teams simultaneously, managing distinct brand identities and shared resources effectively.

• A strong, differentiated creative point of view with an exceptional eye for brand identity, emerging trends, and customer relevance within the women's apparel market.

• Deep commercial and business acumen, with a proven ability to translate creative vision into product assortments that consistently meet or exceed financial and strategic objectives.

• Proficiency in digital presentation tools and platforms, with a strong capability for creating focused, visually compelling decks and seasonal storytelling that effectively influences decision-making.

• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with a collaborative, enterprise-minded approach grounded in trust, accountability, and proactive cross-functional partnership.

• Expertise in fashion trend analysis, market research, and customer insight synthesis to inform design direction and brand strategy.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with data analysis and leveraging performance metrics to inform design decisions and optimize product assortments.

• Familiarity with retail planning and merchandising strategies to ensure design aligns with business goals.

• Knowledge of sustainable fashion practices and ethical sourcing within the apparel industry.

• Experience working within a large, matrixed retail organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required experience level (10-15 years) and the need to lead multiple brands simultaneously indicate a senior leadership role. The emphasis on commercial acumen, business translation of creative vision, and stakeholder influence suggests a need for strong strategic thinking and business partnering skills beyond pure design aesthetics.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a history of successfully defining and evolving brand DNA for multiple apparel brands, showcasing clear differentiation and strategic alignment.

• Present case studies of seasonal creative direction, illustrating the translation of concepts into commercially successful product assortments with measurable results.

• Include examples of leadership in developing and scaling design teams, highlighting mentorship, talent development, and team performance improvements.

• Showcase experience in leveraging market research, trend analysis, and customer insights to drive design decisions and brand strategy.

Process Documentation:

• Document the process for defining and implementing seasonal creative direction, from initial concept generation to final line review.

• Illustrate methodologies used for market and trend analysis, including how insights are synthesized and applied to design decisions.

• Provide examples of how design vision is translated into actionable line architecture and product briefs for development teams.

• Showcase experience in leading and facilitating cross-functional design reviews, including stakeholder management and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis should be on demonstrating strategic leadership, brand stewardship, team development, and the ability to connect creative vision with commercial outcomes. Portfolio requirements should reflect the scale and complexity of managing multiple brands.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $160,000 - $250,000 Annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, Dental, and Life Insurance options.

• Retirement Savings Plan, including a 401k with potential company match.

• Generous Paid Time Away (PTO) accruals, including holidays.

• Significant Merchandise Discount across Nordstrom products.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources for personal and professional support.

• Eligibility for performance-based incentives/bonuses.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet seasonal demands and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $160,000 - $250,000 annually is typical for a Design Director role in a major metropolitan area like Seattle, particularly within a large, established retail organization like Nordstrom. This range reflects the extensive experience (10-15 years), leadership responsibilities, and strategic impact expected of this position. The listed benefits are standard for full-time employees at a company of Nordstrom's size and scope.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Apparel and Accessories) - Nordstrom operates within the dynamic and competitive fashion retail sector, known for its focus on customer service and curated product offerings.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Nordstrom is a publicly traded company with thousands of employees globally). This scale offers resources, established processes, and significant market influence, but also requires navigating complex organizational structures.

Founded: 1901. Nordstrom has a long-standing heritage, emphasizing a commitment to quality, customer loyalty, and continuous evolution in the retail landscape. This history suggests a company that values tradition while embracing innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Design Director will lead a dedicated design team focused on the Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28 brands, likely comprising designers, assistant designers, and potentially technical designers.

• This team operates within the broader Nordstrom Product Group (NPG), which is responsible for Nordstrom's private label brands. The reporting structure is directly to the VP, Design - NPG, indicating a senior position within the product development hierarchy.

Methodology:

• Design decisions are expected to be data-informed, leveraging market research, sales data, and customer insights to drive product development and brand strategy.

• Workflow planning and optimization will be critical, especially in managing the seasonal design calendar and ensuring timely delivery of products.

• Emphasis on innovation and continuous improvement suggests a willingness to experiment with new design approaches, materials, and processes, balanced with the need for operational efficiency.

Company Website: https://www.nordstrom.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Nordstrom's established retail presence and commitment to private labels (Nordstrom Made) indicate that this role operates within a structured yet evolving environment. The emphasis on "Nordstrom Made" suggests a strategic focus on growing these in-house brands, making this Design Director position particularly impactful.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Management / Director Level. This role commands significant autonomy and strategic influence, responsible for the creative direction and commercial success of multiple brands. It sits beyond individual contribution and focuses on leading teams and shaping brand strategy.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the VP, Design - NPG. This indicates a high level of visibility and direct access to senior leadership within the product development division. The role acts as a key bridge between executive vision and design execution.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is crucial for the commercial performance and brand relevance of Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28. By defining creative vision and ensuring product-market fit, this role directly influences sales, customer loyalty, and Nordstrom's competitive positioning within the women's apparel market. Success here contributes significantly to the growth and profitability of Nordstrom Made.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to oversee a larger portfolio of brands within Nordstrom Made, or move into a broader VP-level design role as the business scales.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the long-term brand strategy for Nordstrom Made, influencing product categories, brand positioning, and market penetration.

• Mentorship & Development: Develop expertise in talent management and organizational development by mentoring emerging design talent and building high-performing teams.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to a well-respected brand within the fashion industry, potentially leading to broader industry influence and recognition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Design Director" title, coupled with the responsibility for multiple brands and reporting to a VP, firmly places this role in senior management. The growth opportunities are focused on expanding leadership scope and strategic impact within a major retail organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, based in Seattle, WA. This indicates a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility.

Office Location(s): Seattle, WA. This is Nordstrom's headquarters city, suggesting access to a central hub of corporate operations, talent, and resources. Specific office details would be provided upon hiring.

Workspace Context:

• The Seattle office likely offers a collaborative environment designed to foster teamwork and cross-functional interaction, essential for design and retail operations.

• Access to necessary design tools, software, and potentially sample rooms or prototyping facilities would be standard for a design leadership role.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with other key departments (merchandising, planning, marketing) are integrated into the hybrid model, facilitating seamless communication and alignment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours/week) are expected, with the understanding that flexibility may be required during peak seasons, product launch periods, or for critical project milestones. This allows for structured work while accommodating the dynamic nature of the fashion industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in Seattle implies a structured office presence for collaboration and team building, balanced with remote work flexibility. This setup is common for senior roles in creative industries, aiming to optimize both focused work and interpersonal collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter screens applications for minimum qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Conversation with the VP, Design - NPG to assess strategic thinking, leadership style, and brand vision alignment.

• Design Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from merchandising, planning, and potentially marketing to evaluate collaboration skills and understanding of commercial needs.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their work, showcasing leadership, creative process, brand development, and commercial success with specific case studies.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: May involve senior leadership to confirm strategic fit and overall suitability for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate leadership, brand vision, commercial success, and team management across multiple brands. Focus on impact and results.

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio chronologically or by brand, clearly articulating your role, the challenge, your approach, and the quantifiable outcomes. Use a clear narrative.

• Highlight Commercial Acumen: Emphasize how your design decisions contributed to sales, profitability, customer engagement, or brand growth. Use data and metrics wherever possible.

• Showcase Leadership: Include examples of how you mentored teams, fostered collaboration, and influenced stakeholders.

• Tailor to Nordstrom: Research Nordstrom Made's current positioning and future ambitions. Demonstrate how your vision and experience align with their strategic goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to defining brand DNA for multiple, distinct brands.

• Anticipate questions about how you balance creative vision with commercial realities and financial targets.

• Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you develop and inspire design teams.

• Be ready to walk through a specific example from your portfolio that demonstrates significant brand transformation or commercial success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for a Design Director role. Candidates must be prepared to not only showcase aesthetic capabilities but also strategic thinking, commercial impact, and leadership attributes through concrete examples and data-driven narratives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are essential for visual design, mood boards, and presentation materials.

• PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) Software: Familiarity with systems like Centric PLM, Lectra, or similar is beneficial for managing product development workflows and data.

• 3D Design Software (Optional but Preferred): Tools like Browzwear, CLO 3D can enhance design visualization and reduce prototyping needs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets: For data analysis, trend tracking, and basic reporting.

• Business Intelligence Tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI): Familiarity with data visualization platforms for analyzing sales performance, customer trends, and market data.

• Internal Nordstrom Reporting Systems: Expect to utilize proprietary tools for sales performance, inventory, and trend analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM for sales, understanding how customer data influences design strategy is key. Familiarity with how CRM insights feed into merchandising and planning systems is advantageous.

• Project Management Tools: Tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira may be used for task management and workflow tracking within the design team or with cross-functional partners.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite is fundamental. Experience with PLM systems is highly relevant for product development roles. Familiarity with data analysis and visualization tools will be crucial for demonstrating commercial acumen and making data-informed design decisions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep understanding of the target customer and a commitment to designing products that meet their needs and desires.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional partners to achieve shared goals.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design outcomes and driving them to successful commercial execution.

• Innovation & Evolution: A drive to continuously explore new ideas, trends, and approaches to keep brands fresh and relevant.

• Quality & Craftsmanship: Upholding high standards for design execution, materials, and product integrity.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: The role requires building strong, trusting relationships with merchandising, planning, and production teams, fostering a collaborative environment where ideas are shared openly and constructively.

• Influence & Persuasion: The ability to articulate a clear vision and influence decision-making through compelling narratives and data-backed insights is key.

• Feedback Integration: A culture that values constructive feedback and uses it to refine designs and processes, ensuring alignment and continuous improvement.

• Shared Success: A focus on collective achievement, recognizing that the success of the brands is a result of integrated efforts across multiple departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nordstrom values customer focus, collaboration, and a blend of heritage with innovation. For a Design Director, embodying these values means leading with a strong customer perspective, fostering a cohesive team environment, and driving brands forward strategically.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Brands: Effectively managing distinct brand identities, creative directions, and commercial goals for Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28 simultaneously.

• Market Volatility: Navigating rapidly changing fashion trends, consumer preferences, and economic conditions to ensure brand relevance and commercial viability.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent communication and buy-in from diverse stakeholders (merchandising, planning, production, marketing) who may have competing priorities.

• Scaling Innovation: Fostering a culture of creativity and experimentation while maintaining operational efficiency and meeting production deadlines for a large retail organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Brand Management: Deepen expertise in developing and executing long-term brand strategies within a major retail enterprise.

• Talent Development: Hone leadership and mentorship skills by guiding and growing a team of fashion designers.

• Retail Operations Insight: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end retail product lifecycle, from trend forecasting to in-store execution.

• Executive Visibility: Opportunity to present to and influence senior leadership, enhancing strategic communication and executive presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the complexity of managing multiple brands, staying ahead of market trends, and achieving alignment within a large organization. Growth opportunities focus on expanding strategic leadership and deepening expertise in retail brand management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to defining and evolving the brand DNA for multiple, distinct women's apparel brands simultaneously. How would you ensure differentiation while maintaining cohesion within the Nordstrom Made portfolio?"

• "How do you balance a strong creative vision with commercial objectives and financial targets in the fashion industry? Provide an example of a time you successfully translated a creative concept into a commercially successful product assortment."

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Nordstrom's legacy and its current strategy for Nordstrom Made brands like Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28?"

• "How do you approach cross-functional collaboration, particularly with merchandising, planning, and production teams, to ensure successful product launches?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative is Key: Structure your presentation around compelling stories, not just images. For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, your role, and the quantifiable impact.

• Quantify Success: Use data (sales figures, margin improvements, customer engagement metrics, market share growth) to demonstrate the commercial success of your designs and strategies.

• Showcase Leadership: Highlight instances where you mentored designers, led team initiatives, or facilitated cross-functional alignment.

• Brand Stewardship: Demonstrate a deep understanding of brand identity and how you consistently applied it across different products and seasons.

• Conciseness & Clarity: Respect the interviewers' time. Be focused, clear, and articulate your key points efficiently. Prepare for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, commercial acumen, and a deep understanding of brand building within the retail fashion context. The portfolio presentation is critical for visually and narratively conveying these skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the Nordstrom Careers portal, ensuring all required fields are completed accurately.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your experience in leading fashion design teams, managing multiple brands, and driving commercial success. Use keywords from the job description such as "creative vision," "brand DNA," "commercial acumen," and "cross-functional collaboration."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a digital portfolio that showcases your best work, focusing on leadership, brand development, commercial impact, and team management. Be ready to present specific case studies with quantifiable results.

• Research Nordstrom Made: Familiarize yourself with the current offerings and strategic direction of Caslon, Voyelle, and Chelsea 28, as well as Nordstrom's broader private label strategy.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse articulating your experience, leadership philosophy, and creative vision, preparing to answer strategy and behavioral questions confidently.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.