Director of Technical Design - Women's Denim & Wovens

J.Crew•New York, NY

8d•$152,800 - $201,400•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Technical Design - Women's Denim, Hard & Soft Wovens is a senior technical leader responsible for the fit, construction, and quality standards across the Denim, Hard Wovens, and Soft Wovens categories for J.Crew and J.Crew Factory. Reporting to the Head of Technical Design, this role leads a team of technical designers and patternmakers, partnering closely with Design, Production, and Merchandising to ensure design intent is translated into exceptional, brand-right product. This is an opportunity to shape the technical direction of foundational categories across two iconic American brands.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive technical design experience within the apparel industry, including significant experience specializing in denim and woven categories (hard and soft), with prior people-leadership experience.
Deep hands-on expertise in denim construction (washes, hardware, fit blocks) as well as hard and soft woven fabrications and construction techniques.
Demonstrated track record of building and developing high-performing technical design teams, including hiring and mentoring at multiple levels.
Exceptional ability to cultivate collaborative partnerships with Design, acting as a trusted translator of creative vision into technical reality while maintaining brand aesthetic integrity.
Comprehensive understanding of garment construction, pattern engineering, grading standards, and fit development across denim and woven fabrications and silhouettes.

Nice To Haves

Experience working across both full-price and value/factory brand environments, with an understanding of delivering brand-appropriate quality and fit within varying cost architectures.
Proficiency in PLM systems (e.g., Centric, Gerber WebPDM) and strong working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator; experience with digital product creation tools is a plus.
Prior experience at a multi-brand retail or specialty apparel organization; familiarity with domestic and international sourcing and vendor landscapes for denim and wovens is a strong advantage.
Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Technology, or a related field; equivalent industry experience is equally valued.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of Technical Designers, Associate Technical Designers, and patternmakers across Denim, Hard Wovens, and Soft Wovens, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and development.
Serve as the primary technical design partner to Design for these categories, translating creative vision into precise fit, construction, and garment execution across denim washes, hardware, and structured and soft woven silhouettes.
Own end-to-end fit and construction standards across Denim, Hard Wovens, and Soft Wovens, establishing consistent, brand-right fit philosophies for both J.Crew and J.Crew Factory while honoring each brand’s distinct identity.
Partner cross-functionally with Production, Materials, and Merchandising to drive efficient, high-quality development from proto through final approval, maintaining accountability to calendar and cost targets.
Implement and continuously improve technical design systems, grading standards, spec processes, and PLM workflows within the category to drive efficiency and scalability.
Build and strengthen relationships with key denim and woven mills and vendors, aligning on construction capabilities, quality standards, and innovation opportunities.
Champion innovation within the category, staying ahead of trends in denim washes and finishes, woven fabrication, construction techniques, and sizing to elevate product quality.