Head of Design

Job Description

Are you a commercially driven menswear tailoring leader who can improve margin through disciplined product architecture and vendor management?

Do you understand how to balance creative direction with cost, critical path and delivery performance?

Can you lead a design function end-to-end while partnering closely with Commercial, Technical and Production teams?

MacGregor Black is partnering with a premium menswear business on the search for a Head of Design , based in London.

This role will own the full design function across tailoring and multi-product menswear, ensuring collections are commercially viable, operationally efficient and delivered on time and to standard.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end design strategy across menswear tailoring and adjacent categories.
• Translate brand handwriting into commercially strong, globally relevant collections.
• Own range architecture, SKU planning and seasonal design direction.
• Partner with Commercial to ensure product strategy aligns with revenue and margin targets.
• Drive fabric selection, mill relationships and material efficiencies.
• Work directly with offshore vendors across Bangladesh, China and India to improve cost control and delivery performance.
• Reduce development inefficiencies through tighter critical path management.
• Lead fit sessions, block development and construction standards.
• Improve sampling processes and reduce iteration cycles.
• Identify opportunities to improve gross margin through fabric consolidation, yield optimisation and product engineering.
• Maintain clear design governance across tech packs, specifications and approvals.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Merchandising, Technical and Production teams.
• Present seasonal direction and performance insights to senior leadership.
• Build and develop a high-performing design team.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven experience leading menswear tailoring design within a commercially driven environment.
• Strong technical understanding of tailoring construction, fit and fabrication.
• Experience managing offshore suppliers and production partners.
• Track record of improving product margin, efficiency or delivery performance.
• Confident in managing seasonal critical paths end-to-end.
• Commercially astute with strong understanding of cost price and gross margin impact.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial business.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Hands-on operator with high accountability mindset.

Please contact Tom Honeyman for more details today.