Handbag Designer

The Aldo Group Inc / Le Groupe Aldo Inc.•Montreal, QC

About The Position

The Designer is responsible for the creation and development of Handbags aligned with seasonal direction and brand identity. This role translates trend insights into commercially viable designs, supporting the execution of the collection through sketching, technical development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. This role contributes to 10% of the global sales.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field
3–5 years of experience in footwear or accessories design
Strong experience in sketching (hand and digital) and technical design
Strong experience of translating trends into commercial concepts
Experience in trend forecasting
Experience working with overseas vendors and product development processes
Strong understanding of materials, construction, and trend application
Strong creative thinking with a commercial mindset
Excellent technical sketching and design skills
Strong attention to detail and organization
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and collaboration skills
Problem-solving mindset and adaptability
Passion for fashion, trends, and consumer behavior
Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and AI tools to optimize design work

Responsibilities

Researches, identifies, and interprets key trends, consumer insights, and market direction
Lead the trend direction by creating seasonal mood boards, seasonal concepts, and category direction
Leads the translation of trends into brand-right, commercially relevant products for specific category
Collaborates with Line Builders to align design direction with assortment needs and business objectives
Design handbag assortment catering to global needs.
Own technical sketches from constructions to patterns, and ensuring the correct balance of silhouettes and constructions are developed – Responsible for approximately 50 constructions a year and 180 patterns a year
Create seasonal trends Direction in line with footwear direction
Develops design packages and align cohesive packages with the footwear design team
Lead material selection and development of the category needs
Work on seasonal specs with the line building team
Lead prototype corrections of construction and patterns ahead of sample execution and post sample reception providing technical feedback on designs and execution
Own the seasonal design development calendar
Maintains daily communication with cross-functional teams and overseas vendors for development follow-ups
Participate in Store visits to ensure production of product is executed correctly and provide vendors with constant feedback to improve execution
Take part in seasonal postmortem to improve efficiency and collaboration with sourcing teams.
Takes ownership of assigned categories or product groups within the collection
Contributes to a collaborative and creative team environment
Demonstrates accountability in meeting deadlines and delivering quality outputs
Supports continuous improvement in design processes and workflows
Acts as a reliable partner to Senior Designer and cross-functional teams