Design Director - Footwear

TheDesign Director, Footwear leads the creative direction, design execution, and development process across all categories within footwear.
This role is responsible for translating brand vision into product that reflects the Aimé Leon Dore aesthetic — balancing innovation, utility, and craftsmanship while maintaining design consistency and commercial viability.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Creative Direction & Concept Development

• Lead the seasonal creative direction and design narrative for footwear in alignment with the brand’s overall design vision.
• Develop seasonal mood, color, and material direction that supports brand storytelling and cross-category cohesion.
• Partner with the SVP of Design and SVP of Product to define long-term category strategy and product evolution.
• Ensure product design reflects ALD’s balance of heritage inspiration, contemporary design language, and elevated craftsmanship.

Design Execution

• Oversee design process from concept through final sample, ensuring accuracy, quality, and timeliness.
• Approve sketches, prototypes, and materials; provide clear creative feedback to design and development teams.
• Ensure silhouettes, details, and materials adhere to brand standards and category performance needs.
• Collaborate with technical design, product development, and sourcing teams to ensure feasibility and cost alignment without compromising design intent.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Apparel Design, Merchandising, Production, and Marketing to ensure product alignment across categories.
• Collaborate with Retail and Creative teams on seasonal storytelling, launch strategy, and brand imagery.
• Liaise with vendors and factories on sample execution, materials innovation, and technical refinement.

Leadership & Team Management

• Manage and mentor the Footwear Design team, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and collaboration.
• Set clear seasonal goals and deliverables, ensuring milestone adherence and design excellence.
• Provide feedback and development opportunities to designers, strengthening internal creative capability.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of design experience in footwear ideally within a luxury, lifestyle, or designer brand.
• Proven track record in developing cohesive, elevated collections across categories (footwear).
• Strong knowledge of materials, construction, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a design team and manage cross-functional relationships.
• Highly skilled in Adobe Creative Suite, 3D design tools, and presentation rendering.
• Deep understanding of cultural and design references aligned with ALD’s aesthetic.
• Excellent communication, organization, and leadership skills.

Salary Range: $130,000 - $140,000