Chanel Materials and Trimmings Development Manager

About Chanel

Chanel is one of the world’s most revered luxury houses, founded by Gabrielle Chanel and distinguished by an enduring vision of elegance, freedom, and modernity. As an employer, the House brings together métiers ranging from haute couture, fashion and leather goods to fragrance, beauty, watches, and fine jewelry, offering employees the opportunity to contribute to a legacy defined by exceptional craftsmanship and creative audacity. Chanel values excellence, discretion, collaboration, and long-term development, fostering an environment where talent is nurtured and heritage is continually reinterpreted for contemporary clients. Its teams are united by a commitment to quality, innovation, and the timeless spirit of the brand.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead and animate development teams across threads, materials, metals, textile trimmings, and embroidery categories, ensuring direct coordination and technical progress
• Establish and maintain effective information circulation within the Materials, Trimmings & Embellishments division and across ready-to-wear and accessories product lines through structured governance and communication channels
• Harmonise processes and facilitate best practice sharing across all product typologies to ensure consistency and excellence
• Coordinate with Studio and product development teams across divisions through multi-collection calendar definition and monitoring
• Define and execute supplier panel animation strategy in collaboration with senior leadership, collection purchasing, and production teams
• Supervise development allocations and propose strategic sourcing initiatives aligned with defined objectives
• Support partner ecosystem competency development in technical, quality, transformation, and pricing aspects
• Establish and monitor panel performance indicators using shared KPIs with production
• Manage the global industrialisation portfolio within collection planning timelines and drive achievement of objectives
• Execute necessary arbitration with involved coordinators and product divisions regarding development priorities and trade-offs
• Pilot overall cost vision for collections associated with developments and manage industrialisation costs in collaboration with purchasing and press teams
• Respond to Studio requests with expertise and strategic visibility
• Animate responsible transformation strategy deployment for materials and trimmings in collaboration with transformation and development teams
• Structure and manage corresponding KPIs and ensure achievement of sustainable transformation objectives

Qualifications

• Engineering school or business school graduate
• Minimum 10–15 years of product development experience, ideally within luxury houses or fashion industry
• Significant managerial experience including team leadership, coordination, animation, and skills development
• Demonstrated cross-functional animation and coordination capabilities
• Strong technical understanding of ready-to-wear product construction and specifications
• Comprehensive knowledge of development challenges in demanding environments
• Proven ability to structure processes and manage KPIs
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills with demonstrated reactivity and rigour
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities
• Organised, anticipatory, and detail-oriented with strong relational qualities
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems, and Power BI
• Fluent in French and English (written and spoken); Italian is advantageous

Skills

Experience

Minimum 10–15 years in product development, preferably within luxury fashion houses, with substantial experience in managerial and leadership roles overseeing development teams, supplier coordination, and industrialisation projects. Demonstrated expertise in ready-to-wear product development, quality assurance, cost control, and sustainable transformation initiatives within demanding creative environments.

Education

Engineering school or business school degree.

Workplace

Culture

Chanel fosters a culture of timeless creativity, exacting craftsmanship, and quiet excellence, where employees are encouraged to uphold the house’s heritage while contributing to its continued innovation. The workplace environment is refined, collaborative, and deeply committed to quality, offering professionals the opportunity to grow within a globally respected maison that values discretion, artistry, and long-term vision.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.