Design Director - Men's Woven Apparel

Company Overview

We are a globally integrated apparel company headquartered in Seoul, with owned manufacturing facilities in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Our core expertise spans men’s woven tops, bottoms, and tailored clothing. We partner with leading U.S. retailers across department stores, off-price, specialty big & tall, and agricultural lifestyle channels. Our business model combines private-label production with owned and licensed brands, supported by deep factory integration, strong sourcing capabilities, and end-to-end product execution.

• Based in NYC, this role sits at the intersection of design ideation & execution, CAD and graphic development, yarn-dyed fabric design, and factory sourcing.
• The ideal candidate is comfortable translating retailer-driven design direction into executable product, creating detailed CADs and graphics, developing yarn-dyed plaids and stripes, and working directly with overseas factories to move programs from concept through production.
• This is not a purely conceptual design role. It is a production-focused, execution-heavy position that requires comfort with tight timelines, heavy revisions, and frequent coordination with retailer designers and factory teams.

• Execute detailed CADs for men’s woven tops, bottoms, and tailored garments based on retailer briefs, reference styles, and seasonal direction
• Create and revise graphic artwork including prints, placements, embroideries, labels, trims, and branding elements
• Develop yarn-dyed plaids and stripe layouts, including repeat setup, scale adjustments, and colorway development
• Revise CADs, graphics, and fabric layouts quickly and accurately in response to buyer and retailer designer feedback
• Prepare complete design packages including construction details, artwork, fabric callouts, and measurements to support sampling and costing

• Work directly with overseas factories to develop yarn-dyed fabrics, solids, and trims aligned with cost, MOQ, and lead-time requirements
• Collaborate with mills and factories on stripe and plaid feasibility, color approvals, and lab dips
• Manage sample development from initial proto through salesman, fit, and production samples

• Support line reviews, design presentations, and working sessions with buyers and retailer designers
• Act as a key day-to-day bridge between U.S. retailers’ design teams and internal manufacturing teams
• Interpret retailer design intent and translate it into clear, factory-ready execution

• 15+ years of experience in men’s woven apparel design and product development,
  preferably within an OEM/ODM or private-label environment
• Demonstrated experience developing graphics, yarn-dyed plaids, and stripes for woven apparel
• Hands-on experience working directly with overseas factories and mills on development, costing, and production
• Deep understanding of garment construction, woven fabrics, and manufacturing constraints
• Ability to manage high-volume, detail-oriented work under tight timelines
• Strong communication skills and comfort working across cultures and time zones

• A designer who is comfortable doing both creative and technical work from graphics and fabric layouts to CAD revisions and tech packs
• Someone who understands that success in manufacturing comes from precision, speed, and execution, not just aesthetics
• A collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves professional who can balance retailer demands with factory realities
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30%, including international travel to manufacturing facilities and domestic travel for retailer meetings.