Director Women’s

ABOUT THE BRAND

At Karl Lagerfeld, we are driven by Karl’s mantra: “Embrace the present and invent the future.”

Always contemporary and forward-looking, the House of KARL LAGERFELD shares the creative vision and design aesthetic of its iconic founder, Karl Lagerfeld.

We are the only fashion house that carries Karl’s name on its door and we strive to live up to this responsibility in everything we do, every day, with the utmost joy and passion.

Our headquarters in Paris and in Amsterdam are home to a highly diverse and driven team of KARL family members that hail from over 50 countries. Together, we aim to create meaningful stories and product concepts that connect to Karl’s world and iconic attributes.

Women’s & Men’s ready-to-wear, bags, small leather goods, swimwear and underwear are managed directly from our Amsterdam headquarters, while other categories, including footwear, fragrances, eyewear and more, are developed with best-in-class licensing partners.

We connect with our consumers on multiple levels, ensuring that our online and offline approach goes hand in hand. We thrive to maximize consumer engagement via more than 200 KL stores worldwide, our premium wholesale partners, and our strong digital footprint, spearheaded by our flagship store, which reaches 96 countries. Our digital channels currently represent more than 30% of our overall full-price business.

We are a dynamic, fast-growing and inclusive company built on professionalism and strong values. At KARL LAGERFELD we’re committed to working toward the highest standards of sustainability and integrity across all areas of our business. In 2019, KARL LAGERFELD joined as a founding member of the Fashion Pact, a global sustainability initiative seeking to transform the fashion industry through objectives in three areas: climate, biodiversity and ocean protection.

THE ROLE

The Director Women’s will lead the global product strategy for the Karl Lagerfeld Women’s Collection, driving innovation, profitability, and brand positioning across both Retail and Wholesale. This senior leader will define and execute a compelling product vision, develop capsule collections to address market segmentation, and ensure cross-category synergy across RTW and Accessories. This role reports directly to the SVP Product, and will lead a high-performing product and merchandising teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership
• Define and drive the long-term product strategy for the Women’s Collection, ensuring alignment with brand vision, business goals, and market opportunities.
• Partner closely with Design and Product Development to shape the seasonal range plan, balancing creativity and commerciality.
• Product & Market Expertise
• Oversee the development of capsule collections and exclusive initiatives that enhance market segmentation and create clear brand USPs.
• Conduct deep competitive benchmarking, market research, and trend analysis to anticipate shifts and inform decision-making.
• Translate consumer insights, historical data, and market performance into actionable strategies that optimize assortment, pricing, and profitability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Act as a key liaison across Design, Product Development, Marketing, Business Planning, Sales, and Licensing partners.
• Ensure seamless collection coordination across divisions (RTW & Accessories) to deliver a cohesive brand experience.
• Lead the preparation and presentation of product strategies and collection reviews to executive stakeholders.
• Operational & Team Leadership
• Own the seasonal product calendar and lead all critical milestones.
• Supervise the preparation of high-quality reports and sell-in/sell-out performance analyses.
• Build, mentor, and inspire a team of Managers and their extended teams, fostering a culture of excellence, agility, and collaboration.
• Drive execution of licensing projects and strategic collaborations as required.

MAIN PARTNERS

• Retail Buying
• Wholesale
• Licensee Partners / Collaborators
• Business Planning
• Marketing
• Digital
• Retail

THE PROFILE

• Master’s degree in Fashion or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in product merchandising or related functions within the luxury or premium contemporary fashion sector.
• Proven track record of leading and scaling merchandising strategies for multi-category collections across global markets.
• Deep knowledge of the luxury fashion landscape, competitor dynamics, and consumer trends.
• Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to balance creative vision with business performance.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and influencing skills at the senior stakeholder level.
• Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing teams.
• Highly organized, agile, and solutions-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a strong advantage.

Why #TEAMKARL?

• Learning and development courses/training
• Opportunity to make an impact
• Remote working arrangements
• Relocation allowance
• Bonus holidays
• Working in the heart of Amsterdam
• Brand discounts
• And exclusive sample sales only for #TEAMKARL

JOIN #TEAMKARL

The collective vision of KARL LAGERFELD is to be the most connected global designer brand, inspiring consumers through luxury collections and immersing them in the World of KARL.

At #TEAMKARL, everyone can give their opinion, grow in their career, and be part of a genuinely caring and inclusive team. We welcome people from all backgrounds, with different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to work with us.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING JOB POSTINGS

Please be advised that all legitimate job opportunities at KARL LAGERFELD are published exclusively on our official careers page and on selected partner platforms that redirect directly to our career site. We strongly recommend that applicants only apply through our verified channels and remain vigilant against unofficial job offers.

KARL LAGERFELD will never request any form of payment during the recruitment process.

If you come across suspicious job postings or receive unexpected communication about a position, please contact us immediately at career@karllagerfeld.com