- Location
- New York City New York USA
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Department
- Creative, Design & Styling
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
About Tapestry
Tapestry is a New York–based house of modern luxury, uniting the distinctive worlds of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman. As an employer, the group offers the scale and sophistication of a global fashion leader while preserving the creative spirit and heritage of its iconic brands. Tapestry cultivates an inclusive, purpose-driven culture where design, craftsmanship, digital innovation, and commercial excellence intersect. Its teams are encouraged to think boldly, grow continuously, and contribute to a more responsible future for fashion, making Tapestry a compelling environment for talent seeking impact, creativity, and international opportunity.
Kate Spade New York seeks a Handbag Designer to develop fashion-driven outlet handbag designs aligned with the brand’s creative vision. The role supports seasonal research and design development from concept through production, collaborating across design and business teams. Base pay range: $85,000–$105,000.
Role & Responsibilities
- Participate in seasonal trend, market and material research to support the overarching design concept.
- Assist the Senior Designer in managing the design process from conception through production.
- Create and maintain detailed CADs and technical specification packages to communicate design intent, construction details and material usage accurately to factories and product development partners.
- Ensure products meet high-quality standards and align with market trends and business strategy.
- Work with technical design and product development partners to ensure design packages are complete and accurate.
- Support the preparation of design presentations, mood boards and visual tools for key milestone meetings.
- Collaborate with merchandising, product development, hardware design, technical design and print design partners throughout the process from concept to final production.
Qualifications
- At least 4 years of design experience.
- College degree in fashion design or a related field; a combination of education and work experience will be considered.
- Experience designing handbags or leather goods.
- Experience using AI tools.
- Strong computer knowledge, including Adobe Illustrator.
- Strong hand-sketching ability.
- Strong design and conceptual skills.
- Strong sense of trends, style and color.
- Knowledge of raw materials and construction techniques.
- Graphic design experience and experience working with prints are a plus.
- Strong communication and organizational skills.
- Understanding of merchandising as it relates to sales and the store environment.
Skills
Experience
At least 4 years of design experience, including handbag or leather goods design.
Education
College degree in fashion design or a related field; a combination of education and work experience will be considered.
Workplace
This position is based in New York City, New York, USA.
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Benefits
Medical, dental, vision and disability insurance; 401(k); paid parental leave; commuter benefits; tuition assistance.
Culture
Tapestry fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, craftsmanship, and consumer insight come together across its portfolio of iconic fashion and lifestyle brands. As an employer, it encourages entrepreneurial thinking, global perspective, and continuous growth, empowering teams to shape meaningful brand experiences while contributing to a culture of innovation and belonging.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Tapestry, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Handbag Design Specialist», «Leather Goods Designer», «Accessories Designer», «Fashion Accessories Designer», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.