Overview
VP Men’s Design – RTW Jobs in New York, NY at Michael Kors
Who You Are
You are a visionary menswear design leader with a refined, modern aesthetic and a deep understanding of the global men’s fashion landscape. You bring a strong, recognizable point of view across all men’s ready-to-wear categories—tailoring, outerwear, sportswear, knits, denim, and seasonal capsules.
You excel at translating cultural trends, brand DNA, and customer insights into elevated, commercially compelling product. You thrive in a fast-paced, creative environment and lead with clarity, inspiration, and strategic intent. You are a collaborative partner who works seamlessly across design, production, and cross-functional teams to bring world-class product to life.
What You’ll Do
Creative & Design Leadership
- Set and lead the global creative vision for all Michael Kors Men’s Ready-to-Wear categories.
- Own the full design process from concept development through final execution, ensuring aesthetic excellence and brand consistency.
- Develop seasonal concepts including silhouette direction, fabric innovation, color palettes, trims, and construction details.
- Create cohesive, compelling collections that reflect the Michael Kors brand while pushing innovation and modernity.
- Lead fabric research, material development, and sourcing in partnership with mills and vendors.
- Present seasonal concepts, sketches, prototypes, and final collections to executive leadership with strong storytelling and strategic clarity.
Product Creation & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Production and Technical Design to ensure design integrity, fit consistency, and quality standards.
- Collaborate with Planning, Sales, and Merchandising partners to ensure design intent aligns with business opportunities without owning merchandising strategy.
- Work with global vendors and factories to drive innovation, craftsmanship, and timely execution.
- Ensure all categories—tailoring, outerwear, sportswear, knits, denim, and special projects—are cohesive and aligned with seasonal direction.
- Maintain a deep understanding of competitive landscape, cultural trends, and emerging design influences to inform future collections.
Process Leadership & Innovation
- Drive continuous improvement in design processes, tools, and workflows to enhance creativity and efficiency.
- Champion innovation in materials, construction techniques, sustainability, and product functionality.
- Ensure all design deliverables meet calendar deadlines and quality expectations.
People & Team Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing men’s design team across all RTW categories.
- Foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and accountability.
- Provide clear direction, actionable feedback, and long-term development support for emerging design talent.
- Build strong partnerships across regions and functions, modeling a collaborative and culturally aware leadership style.
You’ll Need to Have
- Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Menswear, or a related field
- 15+ years of progressive experience in men’s ready-to-wear design, with senior leadership responsibility
- Deep expertise across all men’s RTW categories, including tailoring, outerwear, sportswear, and knits
- Strong understanding of the global luxury / accessible luxury menswear market
- Proven ability to translate brand DNA into modern, commercially relevant design
- Exceptional communication, presentation, and executive influencing skills
- Ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume, deadline-driven environment
- Willingness to travel as needed
We’d Love to See
- A distinctive, modern menswear design point of view aligned with the Michael Kors brand
- Experience designing for global markets across multiple regions
- Strong material, fabric, and construction knowledge
- A leadership style that inspires creativity and builds trust across teams
- Passion for mentoring and developing design talent
MK Perks:
- Generous Paid Time Off & Holiday Calendar
- Summer Fridays
- Internal Mobility Across Brands
- Cross-brand Discount
- Exclusive Employee Sales
- Fav 5 Cards (MK Discount for friends and family)
- 401k Match
- Paid Parental Leave
- Thrive Wellness Program
- Commuter Benefits
- Gym Discounts
The Company is an equal employment opportunity employer. The Company’s policy is not to unlawfully discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, military status, disability, genetic information or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws. The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories.
At Capri Holdings Limited, we are committed to providing a fair and accessible recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation for the interview or application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].
In compliance with certain Pay Transparency laws, employers are required to disclose a salary range. The salary for this position will vary based on role requirements, skill set and years of experience.
Title: VP Men’s Design – RTW
Company: Michael Kors
Location: New York, NY
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