Hermès Head of Patternmaking and Industrialization

About Hermès

Hermès is an independent French maison renowned for exceptional craftsmanship and artisanal savoir‑faire across leather goods, ready‑to‑wear and accessories. Atelier HCI (Hermès Chaussures Italie) is the brand's dedicated footwear atelier in Italy, responsible for prototype development, production of assigned models and coordination of Italian footwear manufacturers within Hermès' quality and industrialization standards.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead development and industrialization of Hermès footwear collections produced at Atelier HCI, delivering prototypes, samples and production-ready models that respect the Maison’s aesthetic, integrity and comfort standards.
• Act as the technical hub for the site: centralise technical requests, translate creative briefs into feasible technical solutions and ensure visibility of prototype/sample progress.
• Define and enforce industrialization procedures and production methods (internal vs. external operations), produce technical dossiers, pricing sheets and KPI documentation for each product.
• Coordinate with central development, industrialization and quality teams and with internal production to gather feedback and convert it into corrective actions and product improvements.
• Manage relationships with semi-finished component suppliers and external workshops during validation and industrialization phases, presenting final validations to central industrialization/quality teams.
• Build and maintain production planning (fit trials, size development, PC), back‑planning and timelines to meet production and delivery deadlines.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives for product, process and savoir‑faire, promoting introduction and refinement of artisanal techniques within the Atelier.
• Lead, develop and animate a technical team composed of patternmakers, industrialisation specialists and time & methods resources; transmit Hermès managerial philosophy and ensure team objectives are achieved.
• Maintain and update the technical archive and report repository to secure long‑term traceability of production processes and standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years' experience in the footwear industry, with demonstrated expertise in high‑end/luxury footwear.
• Proven managerial experience leading a patternmaking/modelleria team or technical office.
• Deep technical knowledge of footwear construction, fit, comfort and luxury finishing techniques.
• Strong analytical skills, rigour and results orientation.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; experience liaising with cross‑functional central teams and external suppliers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Skills

Experience

Extensive footwear industry experience (minimum 15 years) including prior managerial responsibility within a model room or technical office and a proven track record in industrializing luxury footwear for serial production.

Education

Degree in industrial engineering, footwear technology, product design or equivalent professional experience in technical footwear development.

Workplace

Culture

Hermès places exceptional craftsmanship and respect for artisanal savoir‑faire at the centre of its workplace culture, fostering long‑term development of technical skills within dedicated ateliers. The company emphasizes high standards, collaborative cross‑functional work and a human‑centred managerial approach that values precision, creativity and inclusion.

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.