Footwear Designer Head

Job Description – Head Designer (Ladies Footwear)

Position: Head Designer – Ladies Footwear

Department: Design & Product Development

Experience Required: Minimum 15 Years

Industry: Footwear Manufacturing / Fashion Footwear

Job SummaryWe are looking for an experienced and creative Head Designer – Ladies Footwear to lead our footwear design and product development function. The ideal candidate must have a strong understanding of ladies footwear trends, fashion, materials, construction techniques, comfort, fitting, and commercial product development.

The candidate will be responsible for developing innovative and market-relevant footwear collections while leading the design team from concept to final production.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the complete design and development process for Ladies Footwear Collections.
• Research and analyze the latest fashion trends, colors, materials, silhouettes, and consumer preferences.
• Develop seasonal and market-specific footwear collections.
• Create innovative designs for categories such as:
• Sandals
• Slippers
• Flats
• Casual Shoes
• Party Wear
• Comfort Footwear
• Fashion Footwear
• Other ladies footwear categories
• Develop design concepts, sketches, technical specifications, and product details.
• Work closely with the sampling, development, production, merchandising, and sourcing teams.
• Select and develop suitable materials, soles, heels, uppers, trims, accessories, and components.
• Ensure designs are commercially viable while maintaining creativity, quality, comfort, and profitability.
• Monitor sample development and provide technical guidance to achieve the desired final product.
• Review fitting, comfort, construction, finishing, and quality of prototypes and samples.
• Lead, guide, and develop the footwear design team.
• Coordinate with vendors and suppliers for new materials, components, and product innovations.
• Study competitor products and market trends to identify new business opportunities.
• Ensure timely completion of design collections and product development calendars.
• Support the management team in developing the overall design and product strategy for the brand.

Candidate Requirements

• Minimum 15 years of experience in Ladies Footwear Design and Product Development.
• Proven experience in a senior design leadership role such as Head Designer, Design Manager, Senior Footwear Designer, or similar position.
• Strong knowledge of ladies footwear construction, patterns, materials, soles, heels, lasts, components, fitting, and manufacturing processes.
• Excellent understanding of Indian and international footwear fashion trends.
• Strong creativity with the ability to convert fashion trends into commercially successful products.
• Experience in managing and mentoring a footwear design team.
• Ability to work closely with factories, sampling teams, vendors, and production departments.
• Strong communication, leadership, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in relevant footwear design software will be an added advantage.

Preferred Candidate Profile

We are looking for a highly experienced footwear professional who can lead the complete ladies footwear design function, bring fresh ideas and market-driven collections, and help strengthen the company's product portfolio and brand identity.

The candidate should be capable of balancing fashion, innovation, comfort, quality, manufacturing feasibility, and commercial success.

Experience: Minimum 15 Years in Ladies Footwear Design

Employment Type: Full-Time