Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager

Company: Debenhams Group

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Design Management / Fashion Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-21

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Mid-Senior Level)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic vision and execution of design for soft woven collections, embellishments, and embroidery for the Karen Millen brand, aligning with market trends and customer insights.

• Manage and mentor a team of designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment to drive creative excellence and operational efficiency.

• Oversee the end-to-end product development lifecycle, ensuring timely delivery, commercial viability, and adherence to quality standards in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• Drive innovation in embellishment, embroidery, and surface design techniques, translating artisanal craft into premium, contemporary fashion pieces.

• Act as a key liaison between design, buying, merchandising, and technical teams to ensure cohesive range planning and successful product launches that meet business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a blend of creative leadership and operational management within a fast-paced retail environment, requiring a strong understanding of both design aesthetics and business acumen to drive the Karen Millen brand forward. The focus on "soft wovens, embellishment & embroidery" indicates a specialization within apparel design, demanding expertise in these specific areas.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute inspiring seasonal design visions for soft woven categories, including dresses, blouses, and elevated daywear, ensuring alignment with the Karen Millen design handwriting.

• Create detailed trend packs, identify emerging in-season trends, and effectively translate these insights into commercially viable product designs and color palettes.

• Drive the creative concept and development of unique embellishment, embroidery, and artisanal surface design techniques, producing detailed artwork and trim specifications for suppliers.

• Manage the entire design process from initial concept to final sample approval, ensuring product quality, fit, and construction standards are met in partnership with Garment Technology.

• Collaborate closely with Buying and Merchandising teams to ensure collections are commercially balanced, strategically planned, and support seven-day dressing through thoughtful fabric and silhouette choices.

• Lead and develop the Karen Millen Design Team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in design processes.

• Deputize for the Product Director, contributing to strategic decision-making and working closely with senior leadership on brand direction and operational oversight.

• Effectively manage the design critical path, ensuring seamless integration with buying, marketing, and production timelines to meet all seasonal deadlines.

• Maintain a deep understanding of global fashion trends, craft techniques, competitor activity, and customer preferences to identify new product opportunities and design directions.

• Contribute to range presentations, design reviews, and seasonal concept development, effectively communicating design rationale and strategy to cross-functional stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for strong leadership in creative direction, team management, and operational execution. The emphasis on "critical path management" and "commercial balance" underscores the operational rigor expected, extending beyond pure design to encompass the business impact of design decisions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in fashion design, with a significant portion at a Design Manager or equivalent leadership level.

• Proven track record in managing design teams and overseeing the development of soft woven categories, particularly occasionwear and premium daywear.

Required Skills:

• Design Management: Proven ability to lead and develop a design team, set creative direction, and manage design workflows.

• Soft Wovens Expertise: In-depth knowledge of fabrics, construction, and design principles for woven apparel, including dresses and tops.

• Embellishment & Surface Design: Strong technical understanding and creative application of embellishment, embroidery, and various surface design techniques.

• Trend Forecasting & Analysis: Ability to research, interpret, and translate global fashion trends, market insights, and competitor activity into actionable design concepts.

• Collection Development: Skill in conceptualizing and developing cohesive, commercially viable seasonal collections from ideation to final product.

• Critical Path Management: Proficiency in managing timelines, workflows, and cross-functional dependencies to ensure on-time delivery of design deliverables.

• Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of the retail market, customer demographics, and sales performance to inform design decisions and ensure commercial success.

• Team Leadership & Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills to effectively manage a team and collaborate with diverse departments (Buying, Merchandising, Tech).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with digital design tools and software relevant to fashion design and artwork creation.

• Familiarity with sustainable design practices and material sourcing within the fashion industry.

• Ability to adapt design handwriting across different product categories and aesthetic styles (e.g., crafted vs. cleaner silhouettes).

• Experience deputizing for senior leadership and contributing to strategic brand planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of creative talent and operational leadership. The specific mention of "soft wovens, embellishment & embroidery" suggests that candidates with specialized knowledge in these areas will be highly regarded. The "5-10 years" experience level indicates a need for a candidate who can hit the ground running with significant autonomy and strategic input.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Creative Vision & Execution: Showcase a diverse range of design projects, demonstrating a clear and evolving design handwriting, particularly within soft wovens, occasionwear, and premium daywear.

• Collection Cohesion: Present at least two complete seasonal collections, illustrating how individual pieces form a cohesive range with strong category architecture and commercial balance.

• Technical Design Skills: Include detailed artwork packs, placement designs, trim concepts, and fabric swatches that highlight expertise in embellishment, embroidery, and surface design techniques.

• Commercial Impact: Provide examples of designs that have demonstrated strong commercial performance, ideally with quantifiable results (e.g., best-sellers, high sell-through rates).

• Process Documentation: Illustrate the design process from concept to final sample, including mood boards, CADs, technical sketches, and collaboration notes with pattern makers or garment technologists.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in documenting design processes, including workflow charts for seasonal development, trend research integration, and sample approval stages.

• Showcase examples of how you have managed and optimized the design critical path, including tools or methodologies used to track progress and dependencies.

• Include case studies on how you have collaborated with Buying, Merchandising, and Garment Technology, detailing communication strategies and problem-solving approaches for product development challenges.

• Provide evidence of how you have explored and implemented innovative embellishment or surface design techniques, detailing the research, supplier collaboration, and final application.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, showcasing not only creative talent but also the ability to manage complex design projects operationally. The emphasis on "process documentation" and "commercial impact" suggests a need for candidates who can demonstrate structured thinking and a results-oriented approach to design management.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Highly Competitive Bonus Scheme: Performance-based bonuses reflecting individual and company achievements.

• Company Pension: A robust pension plan to support long-term financial security.

• Share Schemes: Opportunity to become a stakeholder in the company's success.

• Private Medical Cover: Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and potentially their dependents.

• Life Assurance: Financial protection for beneficiaries in the event of an employee's passing.

• Discount Across All Brands: Significant employee discount on products sold by Debenhams Group brands.

• Comprehensive Wellbeing Package: Access to resources and programs supporting mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.

• Ongoing Learning and Development: Opportunities for professional growth, skill enhancement, and career advancement within the group.

• Free Season Ticket Loan: Financial assistance for purchasing annual travel passes, easing commute costs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are approximately 40 hours per week, typically Monday to Friday. However, flexibility may be required during peak periods or critical deadlines, common in the fashion retail industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from recent job market data for similar Design Manager roles in London, considering the specified experience level and the premium nature of the Karen Millen brand. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting a commitment to employee welfare and long-term engagement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fashion Retail / Apparel Manufacturing. Debenhams Group operates within the dynamic and competitive fashion retail sector, with Karen Millen positioned as a premium brand known for its contemporary, elevated occasionwear and daywear.

Company Size: Debenhams Group is a significant player in the retail landscape, indicating a structured organization with established processes and cross-functional departments. This size suggests opportunities for collaboration and impact across various business units.

Founded: While the exact founding date of Debenhams Group or its current iteration isn't specified, its presence implies a history of retail operations and adaptation to market changes. The emphasis on "transformation" and "bold moves" suggests a company undergoing significant strategic evolution.

Team Structure:

• The Design Team for Karen Millen is likely composed of several designers specializing in different categories (e.g., wovens, knitwear, embellishment) and potentially junior designers or assistants.

• This role reports to the Product Director, with significant interaction and potential deputizing responsibilities, indicating a close working relationship with senior leadership.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While creative, the process is grounded in market trend analysis, customer data, and commercial performance to inform design decisions.

• Agile Development: The mention of "pace," "agility," and "working at pace" suggests a lean, fast-moving operational approach to product development and design cycles.

• Collaborative Workflow: Emphasis on cross-functional partnerships ensures that design intent is translated effectively into commercially viable and technically sound products.

Company Website: https://www.boohoo.com/ (Derived from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The context of Debenhams Group operating within the boohoo.com domain suggests it's part of a larger, digitally-focused e-commerce group. This implies a fast-paced, data-driven, and digitally-savvy operational environment, which will heavily influence the design and product development processes. The brand Karen Millen likely retains its premium identity within this larger structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Mid-Senior to Senior Management level within the design and product development function. It requires not only creative leadership but also significant operational oversight, team management, and strategic input into brand direction.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager reports directly to the Product Director, a senior leadership role. This position also involves deputizing for the Product Director, suggesting exposure to executive-level decision-making and a potential pathway for advancement.

Operations Impact: The Design Manager has a direct and substantial impact on revenue and business decisions by shaping the product offering that drives sales. Their ability to create commercially successful, on-trend collections directly influences the brand's market position, customer acquisition, and overall profitability.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Potential to advance to Product Director or a broader Head of Design role within Debenhams Group, overseeing larger teams or multiple brands.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to play a more significant role in setting the long-term creative and commercial strategy for the Karen Millen brand.

• Cross-Brand Exposure: Within the boohoo.com group, there may be opportunities to contribute to design initiatives or gain experience across other brands.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like sustainable design, advanced embellishment techniques, or digital design workflows.

• Mentorship & Development: Gain experience in leading and mentoring emerging design talent, contributing to the development of future industry professionals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear trajectory for growth within a large e-commerce group. The combination of creative leadership and operational responsibility provides a well-rounded experience valuable for career progression in fashion management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role based in a central London office. The environment is likely to be a modern, professional workspace designed to foster creativity and collaboration within the fashion industry.

Office Location(s): Central London, England, United Kingdom. This location offers excellent connectivity and access to key industry hubs, suppliers, and talent pools within the fashion capital.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office will likely feature design studios, meeting rooms, and open-plan areas conducive to team collaboration, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software, sample libraries, trend forecasting resources, and potentially digital presentation tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with design team members, product directors, buyers, merchandisers, and garment technologists, fostering a dynamic and communicative work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, likely Monday to Friday. However, the fast-paced retail environment, especially in fashion, often requires flexibility and willingness to work additional hours during critical periods like collection launches, trade shows, or peak buying seasons to meet deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in London emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration, team synergy, and direct engagement with the creative process and stakeholders. The London location is a significant draw for talent in the fashion industry.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements.

• First Interview: Typically with the hiring manager (Product Director) or HR, focusing on your background, design philosophy, team management style, and understanding of the Karen Millen brand.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A key stage where you will present your portfolio, likely highlighting specific projects that demonstrate your expertise in soft wovens, embellishment, and collection development. You may be asked to address a hypothetical design challenge or present a strategy for a specific product category.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Buying, Merchandising, and Garment Technology to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially with more senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your expertise in soft wovens, occasionwear, embellishment, and embroidery. Ensure a strong balance between creative vision and commercial application.

• Tell a Story: For each project, articulate the brief, your design process, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the commercial outcome or impact.

• Highlight Operational Skills: Include examples of how you managed design critical paths, collaborated with technical teams, or translated trends into production-ready designs.

• Demonstrate Brand Fit: Show an understanding of the Karen Millen aesthetic and how your design approach aligns with or can elevate the brand.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate, whether presented digitally or in print.

Challenge Preparation:

• Trend Analysis: Be prepared to discuss current and upcoming fashion trends relevant to occasionwear and premium daywear, and how you would interpret them for Karen Millen.

• Commercial Strategy: Think about how to balance creative vision with commercial viability, considering price points, target markets, and inventory management.

• Team Management Scenarios: Prepare to discuss your approach to managing designers, providing feedback, fostering creativity, and handling performance issues.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would work with Buying, Merchandising, and Technical teams to overcome challenges and ensure successful product launches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is heavily geared towards assessing both creative capability and operational effectiveness. A well-prepared portfolio that demonstrates a strategic and collaborative approach to design management will be crucial for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for design work, including Illustrator (for technical flats, artwork), Photoshop (for mood boards, print development, retouching), and potentially InDesign (for presentation layouts).

• CAD Software: Specific fashion CAD software for creating detailed technical drawings, spec sheets, and 3D visualizations may be utilized.

• PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) Systems: Experience with PLM software (e.g., Centric PLM, Lectra, Gerber) for managing product data, specifications, and workflows throughout the development cycle.

• Trend Forecasting Platforms: Subscription-based services like WGSN, Trendstop, or similar platforms for in-depth trend research and analysis.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Internal Reporting Tools: Familiarity with company-specific dashboards or BI tools for tracking sales performance, sell-through rates, and category performance to inform design decisions.

• Excel/Google Sheets: Advanced proficiency for data analysis, creating spreadsheets for range planning, costings, and tracking development progress.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by the Design Manager, an understanding of how CRM data informs customer profiles and how design choices impact sales through e-commerce platforms is beneficial.

• Automation tools might be used in the broader product development process for tasks like specification generation or sample tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design software is a given. The emphasis on "Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)" and "trend forecasting platforms" highlights the operational and strategic tools that are critical for this role's success in managing a complex product pipeline.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Pace and Agility: A core value, driven by the fast-moving nature of the fashion retail industry, requiring quick decision-making and adaptability.

• Data-Driven Creativity: While creativity is paramount, decisions are informed by market data, customer insights, and commercial performance metrics.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Strong emphasis on working effectively across departments to achieve shared goals, with a focus on mutual support and shared success.

• Customer Centricity: A commitment to understanding and serving the Karen Millen customer, ensuring designs resonate with their needs and aspirations.

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Encouraging new ideas, exploring novel techniques, and constantly seeking ways to optimize processes and product offerings.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is not siloed; it's deeply integrated with Buying, Merchandising, and Technical teams from concept through to production.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages direct and honest feedback, constructive criticism, and proactive problem-solving.

• Shared Ownership: A collective responsibility for the success of the collections, where all teams contribute to achieving commercial and creative objectives.

• Respect for Expertise: Valuing the specialized knowledge of each department (e.g., merchandising for commercial viability, technical for fit and quality) to create the best possible product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture, influenced by its position within a fast-paced e-commerce group, likely emphasizes speed, efficiency, and a results-oriented approach. The values highlight the importance of both creative excellence and operational effectiveness in achieving business goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creativity with Commerciality: Consistently delivering innovative designs that are also commercially successful and align with market demand and price points.

• Fast-Paced Environment: Managing multiple collections, tight deadlines, and rapid trend cycles requires exceptional organizational skills and resilience.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and communication across departments with potentially differing priorities can be complex.

• Maintaining Brand DNA: Evolving the Karen Millen aesthetic while staying true to its core identity and premium positioning.

• Supply Chain Dynamics: Navigating global sourcing, production lead times, and quality control to ensure timely and high-quality product delivery.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge embellishment, embroidery, or digital design technologies.

• Strategic Leadership Training: Development programs focused on leadership, team management, and strategic planning within a retail context.

• Industry Trend Immersion: Access to leading trend forecasting services and industry events to stay at the forefront of fashion.

• Cross-Departmental Understanding: Gaining deeper insights into the operations of Buying, Merchandising, and Technical departments to foster better collaboration.

• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders or to mentor junior members of the design team, fostering leadership skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges inherent in the fashion industry, particularly within a fast-paced e-commerce model. However, these challenges are balanced by substantial opportunities for professional growth, skill development, and increased strategic influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define the Karen Millen design handwriting, and how would you ensure it evolves while remaining true to the brand?"

• "Describe your approach to managing the design critical path for a new collection, including key milestones and dependencies."

• "How do you balance creative innovation with commercial viability when developing a new product range?"

• "Walk us through a time you successfully translated a key trend into a commercially successful product. What was your process?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about the transformation journey Debenhams Group and Karen Millen are currently undertaking?"

• "How do you embody the company values of pace, agility, and customer centricity in your work?"

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-moving retail environment. What strategies do you use to stay organized and effective?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with an overview of your design philosophy and career progression, then dive into 2-3 key projects that best represent your skills in soft wovens, embellishment, and collection development.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, clearly outline the brief, your strategic approach, creative process, technical considerations, and the commercial outcome or learning. Use high-quality visuals.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include data points to demonstrate commercial success (e.g., best-seller status, high sell-through rates, positive customer feedback).

• Highlight Operational Management: Explicitly discuss how you managed timelines, collaborated with cross-functional teams, and overcame specific product development challenges.

• Engage and Ask Questions: Be prepared to answer questions about your work and demonstrate enthusiasm for the role and the brand. End by asking insightful questions about the team, strategy, and challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a holistic understanding of design management – combining creative vision with operational execution, commercial awareness, and strong leadership skills. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase this blend.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature your most relevant work in soft wovens, occasionwear, embellishment, and embroidery. Select projects that demonstrate clear design handwriting, commercial success, and operational management.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume highlights your experience in design management, team leadership, critical path management, and specific skills relevant to the Karen Millen brand and its product categories. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership style, and commercial acumen. Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail and answer strategic questions about the fashion industry and brand positioning.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Debenhams Group, the Karen Millen brand, and the broader boohoo.com group. Understand their recent performance, strategic direction, and target customer to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.