Tapestry Senior Designer, Knitwear
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Senior
- Compensation
- $115,000–135,000/year
- Department
- Creative, Design & Styling
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Aug 11, 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.
Coach seeks Senior Designer, Knitwear in New York to lead RTW design direction and manage design team for elevated knitwear collections.
Role & Responsibilities
- Partner with Senior Director of RTW Design to refine knit designs from initial concept to show samples across Women's and Men's collections and multi-channel assortments
- Lead design research for knitwear, establishing seasonal research direction—visual, vintage, and trend-based—to inform conceptual development
- Research and develop innovative stitch and garment concepts for seasonal collections and special projects; create mock-ups in both 3D and digitally rendered formats
- Research seasonal yarns and collaborate with knitwear vendors to drive innovative fabric development and material sourcing
- Mentor and manage junior design team members, providing strategic feedback, clear delegation, and career development guidance
- Oversee team output to ensure deadlines, business objectives, and design quality standards are met through collaborative leadership
- Establish and uphold brand integrity across all knitwear designs; conduct ongoing market research to develop and pitch new branding concepts
- Collaborate with design, merchandising, product development, and technical design teams on concept boards, styling, and seasonal color direction; actively participate in category meetings
- Present design work to internal stakeholders and maintain strong cross-functional relationships with Merchandising, Concept, Print, and Product Development teams
- Solve design challenges with a balance of creativity and product knowledge; manage development timelines to ensure sample delivery for product presentations
- Conduct garment fittings independently on models and uphold design integrity, quality, and schedule adherence throughout the entire development cycle
Qualifications
- Minimum 7 years of design experience, preferably in knitwear design and ready-to-wear product development
- Bachelor's degree in Design, Fashion Design, or a related field
- Demonstrated excellence in hand sketching with ability to create both freeform garment renderings and figure-based technical drawings
- Advanced proficiency with CAD technical drawing software and image manipulation tools
- Extensive experience developing product directly with factories; deep understanding of knitwear development from concept through commercialization
- Strong working knowledge of materials, garment construction, and performance characteristics—including fabric quality assessment and garment behavior
- Proven ability to conduct independent garment fittings and assess fit across diverse body types
- Strong command of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office Suite
- Exceptional fashion sense with demonstrated ability to interpret emerging trends and translate them into commercial designs
- Superior interpersonal and communication skills with ability to engage effectively across all organizational levels and functions
Skills
Experience
Minimum 7 years of professional design experience, with substantial background in knitwear design, ready-to-wear product development, and factory relationships. Proven track record of leading design concepts from inception through production, with demonstrated expertise in seasonal collection development and cross-functional collaboration in fast-paced, design-driven environments.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Design, Fashion Design, or a related field required.
Workplace
The role is situated in New York, New York, USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 115,000 to USD 135,000 per annum.
Benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k), paid paternity and maternity leave, commuter benefits, disability insurance, and 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 «Knitwear Design Director», «Principal Knitwear Designer», «Lead Knitwear Designer», «Creative Knitwear Specialist», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.