lululemon

Women’s Design | Design Manager

Who we are

lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations all around the world, from Vancouver to Shanghai, and places in between. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.

About this team

The Women’s design team is a diverse team of creative and strategic thinkers, who are future thinking, detail-orientated and solution focussed. They are at the forefront of women’s activewear and aware of macro lifestyle and fashion trends and how this relates to the active industry. They are passionate about Run, Train & Yoga and fulfilling every women’s needs in their wardrobes.  They are strong communicators who value and develop their cross functional relationships. This is a team of high performers who are constantly striving to develop personally and professionally, practicing open feedback in a trusting space. This team knows how to bring fun into their everyday, prioritising team connection and enjoying sweat  & creative sessions together.

A day in the life:

The Design Manager at lululemon collaborates with Design Director and VP in leading the design process with the team you are working with.  You understand the brand essence,  ethos and coach and lead it.   Under the mentorship  & partnership of the Design Director and VP, you create and develop the line from inception of ideas to production of garments.  You have experience embedding intuitive innovation into each product & find the blend of function and beauty.

You lead, inspire and coach. You manage the people and the process – creating structure for the design team.

You are part of the leadership team that recruits into the womens design team.  You manage the workflow and workload of the team seasonally, allocating resources and support where needed.  You lead the designer’s day to day in collaborating across teams for a cohesive line.  You partner with P&C to  provide world class training and experiences for our designers. You are an expert in your technical knowledge and your role is a balance of leading and designing.

As the Design Manager you will be part of the upfront work for the season, contributing to the build of our seasonal narrative and working closely with your design leaders to instill the vision into the teams work. As a Manager you are responsible for the performance of your subcategory.

You excel at presenting your teams concepts and communicating seasonal direction and design to the design leadership team, as well as the design team.

You work closely with the Merchants on the assortment and the direction of the line, and with the Sourcing Director to ensure we have the right partners to innovate with.  You also partner with the Go To Market team on the seasonal calendar and workflow of major design events – strategy and solution-focused.

·       You are responsible for overseeing the day to day of the design team to execute seasonal styles that reflect lululemon’s  Womens Design ethos.  You coach and inspire the design team in the work. You will have clear reference points in terms of understanding product storytelling, design and construction.

• You are responsible for understanding the impact of your decisions on timelines and margins and help install discipline to more junior designers on the team. You are accountable for the performance of your sub category.

·       You combine active product use experience, market knowledge, trend research, and collaboration between lululemon designers to create functional, innovative, quality designs. You will have a clear reference point in terms of understanding product storytelling, design and construction.

·       You understand female form, expert in how to drape, create and conceptualize during your design process.

·       You partner with ambassadors/athletes  to continually elevate and innovate our product.

• You will be allocated an assortment of styles in your given category, dependent on the level of complexity of the category. 

·       Responsible for fitting styles in order to accurately communicate your design intent. Partner with the in-house workshop to create mockups and prototypes.

·       Teamwork and clear communication are essential.  You work cross functionally within the pod, collaborating with product development, fit, merchandising, raw materials development and colour, sourcing and design operations ensuring your teams have the most up to date information on each style.

·       You have razor sharp attention to detail around product/process so that we build beautiful technical athletic apparel. You have an clear understanding of function and how to embed style, beauty and fashion where needed. Finding a balance in the product.

·       Awareness of how the line is currently performing in stores – join key meetings for downloads, lead design meetings, partner with your leaders to action feedback for continual innovation of product & to the junior members of the team. 

Qualifications:

• 8-10 years minimum experience required, combination of industry experience and people management
• BA, BFA or BS in Design required (or equivalent)
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator
• Proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, Excel, Word, Mac platform

·       An understanding in 3D design would be a benefit

Must haves:

• Actively participate in the lululemon culture & sweatlfie.
• Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
• Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.
• Communicates with honesty and kindness, and creates the space for others to do the same.
• Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take themselves too seriously.