Christian Dior Head of Footwear Patternmaking

Location
Employment Full-time
Seniority Manager
Posted ✦ Today
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Christian Dior Couture seeks a Head of Footwear Patternmaking in Fosso, Italy — lead internal patternmaking and prototype development for couture footwear.

Overview

Christian Dior Couture is a preeminent French luxury house renowned for couture, leather goods and footwear, operating within the LVMH group. The brand combines artisanal savoir-faire with a forward-looking design ethos, offering a workplace that prizes precision, creativity and excellence across its ateliers and product teams.

Role & Responsibilities

  • Lead the end-to-end development of footwear models from technical drawings (manual and CAD) through to physical prototypes and pre-industrialization samples.
  • Ensure prototypes accurately reflect design intent, fit and functional requirements, providing rigorous technical feedback to the design and style teams.
  • Manage, mentor and develop the internal patternmaking team, setting priorities, allocating resources and promoting continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Plan and monitor team activities and timelines to meet product development milestones and collection schedules.
  • Act as the primary technical reference for Product Development and Prototyping teams, facilitating problem-solving and cross-functional communication.
  • Represent modelling capabilities in collection and product advancement meetings, reporting on development status and technical issues.

Qualifications

  • Minimum 10 years of progressive, demonstrable experience in footwear patternmaking/modelleria, with a record of increasing responsibility.
  • Diploma in patternmaking/modelleria or equivalent technical qualification specific to footwear.
  • Deep, practical knowledge of materials (leathers, textiles, soles, components) and their behaviour through different manufacturing processes.
  • Proven ability to lead, inspire and develop a team in a high-performance environment.
  • Strong organisational skills with the capacity to manage complexity and deliver under tight timelines.

Skills

Technical drawing (manual and CAD) CAD Prototype development and fit analysis Materials expertise: leathers, textiles, soles and components Team leadership and people development Project planning and timeline management Cross-functional communication and problem-solving Pre-industrialisation processes

Experience

At least 10 years of progressive and consolidated experience as a footwear patternmaker/modellista, including leadership responsibility and hands-on prototype development.

Education

Diploma in patternmaking/modelleria (footwear) or equivalent technical qualification.

Workplace

This position is based in Fosso, Veneto, Italy, within easy reach of Venice. Cerulean lists 4 open roles in Fosso, including 1 posted recently. The broader Veneto area accounts for 230 active listings on Cerulean, 4 of which are new. In Italy as a whole, Cerulean currently features 1.295 open positions, with 27 posted this week.

Culture

Christian Dior Couture fosters a culture of meticulous craftsmanship and creative excellence, where artisanal technique sits alongside technical innovation. Teams operate in a collaborative, collection-driven environment that demands high standards, continual learning and cross-disciplinary cooperation within the wider LVMH ecosystem.

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.