Lead Designer

As the Design Head for Cult Sport's footwear design vertical, you will play a crucial role in shaping the design direction for our footwear category. Your responsibilities will include defining seasonal design themes, leading product creation from concept to final prototypes, analyzing trends, collaborating with cross-functional teams, overseeing CAD development, interacting with vendors, and providing leadership to a team of designers. Key Responsibilities: - Define seasonal design themes, color palettes, and material stories aligned with brand positioning and consumer trends. - Lead the design and development of footwear collections from concept sketches to final prototypes. - Leverage trend forecasting platforms to build trend-right collections. - Collaborate closely with marketing, content, and product development teams for design consistency. - Oversee the creation of 2D CADs and detailed tech packs for sampling and production. - Utilize design software expertise in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and other tools for concept visualisation. - Liaise with factories, vendors, and sampling teams for timely development of prototypes and samples. - Manage and mentor a small team of designers to foster creativity and executional excellence. Qualifications Required: - Bachelor or Masters degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, or related field. - Minimum 7 years of experience in footwear design, with at least 2 years in a senior or leadership role. - Strong portfolio demonstrating footwear design and development process. - Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and basic design tools. - Solid understanding of footwear construction, materials, and fit. - Experience with trend forecasting platforms and consumer insight tools. - Excellent communication, project management, and team leadership skills. In addition, the company prefers candidates with previous experience in activewear or sports footwear brands and who are passionate about fitness, fashion, and creating consumer-centric designs.,