Design Director Women's - Eddie Bauer

o5 group is an industry leader in global fashion and apparel design with 40+ years of success across wholesale, e-comm, and marketplace. We are privately held, HQ in NYC with brand offices in CA - a dynamic portfolio of global brands committed to operational excellence in design, product development, production, sourcing, distribution & logistics.

With category expertise in full-collection menswear, womenswear, children swear, infant toddler; we specialize in denim, outerwear, active wear, loungewear/sleepwear, trusted by top retailers.

We are seeking a Design Director, Women’s Eddie Bauer to shape the creative vision and lead the product lifecycle for Eddie Bauer. Reporting to the SVP, Design, this role will drive trend research, oversee fabric and wash development, and ensure fits align with brand identity.

This role connects creative design with business and merchandising goals, partnering closely across Merchandising, Sales, Product Development, Technical Design, Sourcing, and Production to deliver commercially successful product while maintaining design integrity.

• Creative Direction: Set the seasonal design direction and brand aesthetic for Eddie Bauer Women’s while managing the product development process from initial concept through execution.
• Product Development: Drive innovation in fabric selection, garment construction, trims, and wash/finish development. Collaborate with Product Development, Sales, and Production to ensure timely delivery of samples from vendors.
• Lifestyle Integration: Drive the design and development of adjacent categories, including knits, dresses, and outerwear, to build a cohesive seasonal collection that complements the core denim assortment. Ensure consistency in fabric weight, texture, hardware, and color palette across all product categories.
• Material Expertise: Apply mastery of denim fabrication, wash techniques, and global manufacturing and sourcing processes. Bring a deep understanding of how diverse fabrics, from heavy outerwear to fluid dresses, wovens, and soft knits, interact with denim silhouettes and washes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with Merchandising, Sales, Technical Design, Sourcing, and Production teams to achieve margin targets and maintain design integrity.
• Fit & Prototype Ownership: Lead fittings, review protos, and provide precise feedback on grading, silhouette, and construction details.
• Trend Analysis: Monitor the competitive landscape, shop retail markets, and analyze data to deliver commercially successful products.

• 8–12+ years of progressive apparel design experience, with deep, specialized expertise in women’s.
• Proven ability to set seasonal design direction and lead product development from concept through execution.
• Strong knowledge of denim fabrication, wash techniques, garment construction, trims, hardware, fit, and finishing.
• Experience designing lifestyle categories, including knits, dresses, wovens, and outerwear.
• Strong understanding of global manufacturing, sourcing, and vendor collaboration.
• Ability to balance creative vision with business needs, margin goals, and customer expectations.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Textile Design, or a closely related field.
• Experience designing for Costco, club, or value-driven wholesale channels is strongly preferred.

• Health Benefits:
  
  Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• 401(k) + company-paid life insurance.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) + company holidays.
• Family-oriented culture.
• Responsibility & Sustainability — at o5 group this spans economic, social, and environmental impact.