Designer

MAIA BESPOKE is a leading atelier in creating uber-luxury surface furniture and finishes. We specialize in crafting singular, high-end statement pieces and architectural surfaces (stone, marble, exotic materials, composite surfaces) for discerning clientele, luxury residences, private jets, yachts, and premium hospitality projects. Our philosophy is to combine visionary design, unparalleled material mastery, and uncompromising craftsmanship to deliver objects of beauty, utility, and lasting legacy.

We are now seeking a visionary and experienced Chief Designer to lead our creative direction and design execution across furniture, surfaces, and bespoke installations.

Role Summary

As Chief Designer, you will be the creative architect and guardian of MAIA BESPOKEs design vision. You will lead ideation, concept development, design strategy, materials innovation, and oversee translation of designs into exquisite, manufacturable reality. You will partner with engineering, production, sourcing, and client teams to bring bespoke projects from sketch to installation. Given our focus on ultra-luxury and high-value materials (especially stone, marble, inlays, and composite surfaces), your deep domain expertise in working with stone or related materials will be a major asset.

This role demands both high-level creative leadership and hands-on design engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Creative Leadership

• Define, evolve, and champion MAIA BESPOKEs design aesthetic, brand language, and product philosophy.
• Lead design vision across categories: furniture, architectural surfaces, panels, finishes, decorative elements, sculptural surfaces.
• Oversee concept ideation, theme directions, design language explorations, trend forecasting, and signature collections.
• Mentor, manage, and inspire a small team of designers, material specialists, and interns.
• Present design direction and proposals to executive leadership, clients, and stakeholders.

Design & Technical Execution

• Generate concept sketches, mood boards, material palettes, prototypes, and iterative refinements.
• Lead development of detailed technical drawings, 3D models, renderings, and working files.
• Collaborate closely with engineers, production, craftsmen, and external suppliers to validate feasibility, tolerances, joinery, finishes, structural integrity, and installation protocols.
• Drive innovation in materials, methods, surface treatments, edge details, inlays, stone cutting, composite laminates, and hybrid surfaces.
• Ensure designs comply with structural, safety, code, warranty, and performance requirements (durability, maintenance, thermal behaviour, stability).
• Oversee prototyping, mock-ups, sample reviews, testing rounds, and refinement cycles.

Client & Project Interface

• Act as a creative point of contact with high-net-worth clients, architects, interior designers, and consultants.
• Translate client briefs into design language, articulate design rationale, and guide clients through material and finish choices.
• Ensure design consistency, brand integrity, and excellence across bespoke projects.
• Support project schedules, design reviews, sign-off processes, and quality control during delivery and installation.

Material & Supplier Strategy

• Maintain deep domain knowledge of stone types, exotic marbles, semi-precious inlays, engineered surfaces, resins, adhesives, composites, and finishing techniques.
• Establish and manage relationships with quarries, premium material houses, specialist fabricators, laboratories, and artisanal partners.
• Evaluate new materials, technologies, manufacturing techniques, and design tooling to push boundaries in surface design.
• Lead cost-vs-value tradeoff discussions in the design phase to ensure luxury execution with feasible budgets.

Brand & Product Development

• Launch signature collections, limited editions, and decorative surface ranges under the MAIA BESPOKE brand.
• Collaborate with marketing, photography, sales, and content teams to showcase new products and design stories.
• Represent design at trade fairs, design forums, client presentations, and industry events.
• Contribute to intellectual property (design patents, registered patterns) and brand distinction.