Trend & Design Manager

SUMMARY:
A leading fashion retail company is seeking an experienced and commercially mindedTrend & Design Managerto shape and translate emerging fashion trends, customer insights and creative direction into a compelling and commercially relevant trend and design strategy.

POSITION INFO:
This is a newly established leadership role responsible for building and driving the Trends & Design function across trend forecasting, fashion direction, CAD, graphic design and product design. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the brand remains fashion-forward, relevant and distinctive, while balancing creative innovation with commercial objectives, customer needs, price points and the overall brand strategy. The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in ladies' apparel, fashion trend forecasting, product and graphic design, with a proven ability to translate creative concepts into commercially viable product. Strong technical design capabilities, exceptional colour and print knowledge, and the ability to collaborate effectively with Buying and cross-functional stakeholders will be essential to success in this role. Duties & Responsibilities Trend Strategy & Fashion Direction Develop and own the overall trend and fashion direction for the brand. Identify and interpret emerging trends across fashion, colour, print, fabric, silhouette and styling. Translate global and local fashion trends into commercially relevant product opportunities. Develop seasonal trend direction and product stories aligned to the brand's customer and commercial strategy. Conduct ongoing competitor and market analysis to identify trends, opportunities and risks. Provide clear trend and fashion direction to Buying, Design and Product Development teams. Design Direction & Creative Concepting Establish and maintain a clear and consistent creative and design vision across the brand. Lead the development of seasonal design concepts, themes and product stories. Translate trend insights and customer needs into relevant ladies' apparel and product concepts. Guide the design process from initial concept through to final approval. Ensure all design output is distinctive, fashion-forward and aligned with the brand identity. Balance creativity and innovation with commercial viability, price points and expected sell-through. CAD, Graphic Design & Print Development Lead and oversee CAD and graphic design development across seasonal ranges. Develop and manage graphic, print, placement and repeat artwork. Demonstrate advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, particularly repeat and colourway development. Apply strong colour sensibility and Pantone knowledge across design and product development. Ensure all artwork is accurate, clean and production-ready. Read and interpret fabric and print technical packs. Work confidently across multiple print techniques simultaneously. Ensure technical design requirements are considered throughout the product development process. Customer & Market Insight Monitor fashion, consumer and retail trends to identify opportunities for the brand. Develop a strong understanding of the target customer and evolving customer preferences. Use customer insights, market intelligence and competitor activity to inform trend and design decisions. Identify product and design gaps within the market. Ensure seasonal product direction supports the brand's positioning and customer segmentation. Product Development & Commercialisation Partner closely with Buying and Product Development teams throughout the product development cycle. Contribute to seasonal product planning and range development. Ensure creative concepts are commercially viable and appropriate for the relevant price point. Consider fabric, construction, print, colour, silhouette and production feasibility when developing designs. Support the successful translation of creative concepts into commercially viable finished products. Maintain strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of price, customer demand and sell-through. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration Build strong collaborative relationships with Buying, Product Development and other relevant stakeholders. Work closely with Buyers and incorporate feedback into the design and development process. Present trend, design and product concepts clearly and confidently. Manage multiple briefs, projects and deadlines within a fast-paced retail environment. Take ownership of projects from initial brief through to final approval. Establish effective processes and ways of working within the new Trends & Design function. Desired Experience & Qualification Matric \/ Grade 12. Relevant tertiary qualification in Fashion Design, Graphic Design or a related creative discipline . Desired Experience Proven experience in fashion trend forecasting and fashion direction. Strong experience in ladies' apparel and product design. Experience within fashion retail and a strong understanding of commercial merchandising. Experience translating fashion and consumer trends into commercially relevant product. Experience in CAD, digital design, graphic design and print development. Experience managing the product development process from concept through to final product. Experience with seasonal product planning and range development. Strong understanding of competitor and market analysis. Experience working with brand positioning and customer segmentation. Demonstrated commercial awareness, including an understanding of price points and sell-through. Technical Skills Advanced Adobe Illustrator skills, particularly repeat and colourway development . Strong colour sensibility and Pantone fluency. High level of CAD and digital design capability. Strong graphic design and print development skills. Ability to produce clean, accurate and production-ready artwork. Ability to read and interpret fabric and print technical packs. Comfortable working across multiple print techniques simultaneously. Key Competencies Strong creative and conceptual thinking. Fashion-forward with a strong understanding of current and emerging trends. Commercially astute and customer-focused. Strong attention to detail and quality. Excellent organisational and time-management skills. Ability to manage multiple briefs and deliver against tight deadlines. Strong communication and presentation skills. Collaborative and receptive to Buyer and stakeholder feedback. Self-motivated and able to take ownership from brief through to approval. Resilient and able to perform effectively under pressure. Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills. Strategic thinker with the ability to translate creative vision into actionable product direction.