Design Director - Men's Knits & Sweaters

Our Story

At Madewell, we believe that great style starts with great design. Since 2006, we’ve been creating premium denim and foundational wardrobe pieces for men and women that balance quality, authenticity, and versatility. From iconic jeans perfected by denim experts to the essential tee, the most versatile shoe, and the timeless leather bag—if it’s Madewell, it’s made well.

Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

The Role + Purpose:

As the Design Director of Men's Sweaters & Knits, you will report to the Head of Men's Design and lead the creative vision and innovation for the Men's Sweaters & Knits categories, influencing the overall product point of view for Madewell Men's. You will guide a design team while applying your technical knitwear expertise, strong sense of color & pattern, and ability to innovate wash development to create collections that balance quality craftsmanship, originality, and commercial success. In this role, you will shape Madewell's Men's Sweaters & Knits assortment and ensure it remains a foundational part of our brand and customer offering.

• Partner with the Head of Men’s Design to lead the design vision and strategy for Men's Sweaters & Knits, creating seasonal collections that reflect Madewell's authentic aesthetic while driving innovation and market relevance.

• Drive innovation in knit construction techniques, yarn development, gauge engineering, and finishing processes to elevate product quality and differentiate the category.

• Partner closely with Merchandising, Production, Technical Design, and Marketing teams to ensure seamless execution and alignment on creative vision and business objectives.

• Oversee the development process from concept through production, ensuring design integrity, exceptional fit standards, and adherence to Madewell's quality benchmarks.

• Develop compelling assortments that integrate cohesively with the broader men's product line and respond to customer needs, market trends, and brand priorities.

• Cultivate strong vendor relationships and work with sourcing partners to support both creative ambitions and technical requirements for the category.

• Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing design team, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages creativity, technical excellence, and professional development.

Qualifications:

Required:

• 10+ years of experience in apparel design with deep expertise in sweaters and knits categories.

• Extensive technical knowledge of knit construction methods, yarn properties, gauge development, and finishing techniques.

• Proven leadership experience building and managing design teams for a minimum of 5+ years.

• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with demonstrated ability to partner effectively with merchandising, production, and technical teams.

• Excellent communication and presentation abilities with the capacity to articulate creative vision and technical requirements clearly to diverse audiences.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Textile Design, or related field is a plus, but equivalent professional experience will be considered.

We welcome you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes. Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We’re always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Benefits + Perks

• Health & Well-being - Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.

• Associate Discount - We love our products just as much as you do! That’s why we offer a great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).

• Summer Fridays - In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday during the Summer months.

• Community Impact - We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.

• Winter Break - In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

Note: Availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to work location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements.

Salary Range: $136,000.00 - $175,500.00

At J.Crew Group (JCG) we aim to pay competitively for our company’s size and industry. The base salary offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region of work premises, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.  The base salary is just one component of J.Crew Group’s competitive total rewards strategy that also includes the opportunity for bonus, competitive benefits and perks.

One of our core focuses here at JCG is creating a community and culture that builds belonging. We are deeply committed to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and we warmly welcome job applicants of all backgrounds.

 

JCG is proud to affirmatively provide equal opportunity to all associates and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, legally protected physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected under applicable law.