Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for optimistic femininity. Today, the brand is a global life and style house with handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Polished ease, thoughtful details and a modern, sophisticated use of color—Kate Spade New York’s founding principles define a unique style synonymous with joy. Under the vision of creative director Nicola Glass, the brand continues to celebrate confident women with a youthful spirit.

Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands powered by optimism, innovation, and inclusivity.

Primary Purpose:

The Technical Designer, Kate Spade RTW Asia, is responsible to ensure that all RTW product for Kate Spade meets or exceeds the agreed design intent in terms of aesthetic interpretation, fit and quality of finished goods. This responsibility covers all garments at all stages, from development and pre-production samples to final bulk production. The Technical Designers role is a critical extension of the Regional Support Team, Asia, providing an essential service and support to internal RTW teams and external Service Providers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the KSNY technical design team, RTW, to gain a full understanding of the brands design intent, the desired fit and the correct aesthetic interpretation, and to impart this knowledge to the Service Providers so that they have a clear understanding of Kate Spade standards and expectations
• Ensure that all technical directions given to the SP’s are soundly aligned with the best technical practice for modern garment production
• Ensure that all potential technical challenges are known, fully discussed and resolved
• Escalate all important issues to the Senior Technical Manager, RTW, as necessary
• Conduct frequent site visits to the SPs to ensure that the brands requirements are fully understood
• Provide advice and instruction the SP’s, and challenge them when necessary
• Attend SP pre-production meetings with QA/Merchant
• Lead or support specialist technical projects to enhance and elevate product as required
• Responsible for controlling CAD machine including checking grading, marker layout for consumption, pattern comparison, pattern adjustment, data input

Tactical:

• Conduct factory visits to review proto & market tech packs at start of development, reviewing all comments and resolving all queries
• Review all fit samples from factories prior to fitting in NY (technical designer), ensuring that all details conform to the agreed expectations and resolving any anomalies
• On top of the expected skills for sample reviewing, providing option and understand comments
• Conduct factory visits to review proto/Fit/ pre-production and TOP samples prior to shipping to KSNY
• Conduct weekly factory visits, resolving, communicating or escalating any issues
• Check patterns and YY’s to verify costings as needed by Merchant
• Join Seasonal tech pack review meeting/VC with Merchant/Vendors

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Diploma or above in Fashion-related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in apparel industry with a concentration in design, garment engineering, fit, pattern, garment construction and manufacturing
• Excellent co-ordination and strong communication skills in English and Mandarin
• Good connections with sample room, patternmakers and factories
• High attention to details
• Proficiency in Web PDM, PLM, Illustrator and Outlook
• Good understanding/appreciation of CAD systems for RTW
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure
• Frequent travel is required

Kate Spade is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant’s or employee’s qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law. Visit Kate Spade at www.katespade.com.