Design Director, Men's at Rhone Apparel

About the Company:

Rhone is performance driven apparel made by and for those in the pursuit of progress. Founded in 2014 by brothers Nate and Ben Checketts, we exist to inspire, equip, and support individuals in their pursuit of progress—both physically and mentally. More than just apparel, Rhone is a mindset, championing the power of being a little better every day. With a relentless focus on performance, innovation, and style, our products are engineered to move with you—wherever the pursuit takes you. By the end of 2025, Rhone will operate 22 retail stores across the U.S., each serving as a hub for community, connection, and the Forever Forward mindset.

About the role:

Building on the strong foundation established to date for Men’s Performance Active and Lifestyle products, the Men’s Design Director will lead an expanding team as the company grows, employing a “what don’t we know” mindset and following the product on every step of the journey. Leading the internal and external Men’s Design team, they are responsible for creating the seasonal collection with monthly deliveries of innovative products appropriate for the Rhone customer, defining standards across all categories for apparel, accessories and special projects.

They will work with the Chief Product Officer as well as cross functionally with Merchandising, Product Development and Production to drive the product design strategic vision and tactical execution, establishing standards as well as brand positioning guidelines with the ultimate goal: to create best in class product with thoughtful features and benefits that are unique to Rhone.

Key Responsibilities:

• Create and continue to refine our brand design philosophy

• Communicate product vision and strategy, lead in creating compelling product design direction- concepting stories and collections on a monthly, seasonal and annual basis

• Liaison with Women’s Design Team on seasonal color, theme, fabrics and silhouettes to create a cohesive point of view for the Rhone collection

• Work with suppliers and mills to be “first to market” for new development

• Attract and develop a team of Design talent to enhance individual growth and build a talent pipeline

• Provide strategic direction, leadership, mentorship and inspiration to the the growing team

• Foster and maintain collaborative partnerships with counterparts as well as the Women’s Design Director to ensure cohesion where applicable

• Liaise with Merchandising Team to collaborate and execute to the assortment plan- designing and bringing new and exciting products to market

• Work with Development and Production partners to source the best, cutting edge raw materials and technology and follow the product’s full lifecycle from the mock ups through the iterative sampling process

• Lead all try ons and fittings- working collaboratively with Technical Design counterparts to create unique, best in class product

• Respond to customer feedback- support pressure testing the prototypes throughout the development process with wear testing among best in class athletes, Rhone ambassadors and customers, as well as responding to feedback from surveys and focus groups

• Throughout the process, provide support to the team and to our strategic partners to set Rhone up for success

• Manage the design process budget, including design cost, to deliver on financial targets/ KPI’s including style counts, gross margin and product performance

Qualifications:

• BA Degree in Apparel Design with a minimum of 12 years experience in product design and creation

• Deep knowledge of Rhone’s target market customer and categories: Performance Active, Golf & Lifestyle

• An in depth knowledge of the Design Thinking Process with a strong comprehension of product construction, color trends, textiles, and materials

• Process & Project Management Expertise - ability to encourage and lead collaboration across multifunctional groups in Rhone Sr Leadership

• Knowledge of the apparel development process from inception through production including design techniques, processes and technology

• Knowledge of apparel construction, textiles and cost engineering

• Comfortable in an ambiguous, deadline driven environment and a desire to personally evolve

• Excellent oral and written communication skills as well as strong presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization

• Strong problem solving and decision making skills with attention to detail and process orientation

• Proficient computer skills as well as the ability to learn new software program; specific expertise in AI Programs, Microsoft Office, Centric or other PLM

• Experience with 3D Design preferred

• Ability to travel globally and participate in weekly AM/ PM calls to Suppliers

What you’ll get:

• Competitive Compensation & Bonus Plan.

• Access to healthcare including medical, dental, vision, and other ancillary benefits.

• 10 Company Holidays Annually.

• Discretionary Time Off Policy.

• Advancement Opportunities.

• Discount on clothing plus semi-annual gift card allotment.

Other details:

Job Type: Full Time

Reports to: Chief Product Officer

Location: Onsite - Based in Stamford, CT