Christian Dior Head of Footwear Patternmaking

Location
Employment Full-time
Seniority Manager
Posted ✦ Today
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Christian Dior Couture seeks a Head of Footwear Patternmaking in Fosso, Italy — lead internal patternmaking and prototype development for couture footwear.

Overview

Christian Dior Couture is a preeminent French luxury house renowned for couture, leather goods and footwear, operating within the LVMH group. The brand combines artisanal savoir-faire with a forward-looking design ethos, offering a workplace that prizes precision, creativity and excellence across its ateliers and product teams.

Role & Responsibilities

  • Lead the end-to-end development of footwear models from technical drawings (manual and CAD) through to physical prototypes and pre-industrialization samples.
  • Ensure prototypes accurately reflect design intent, fit and functional requirements, providing rigorous technical feedback to the design and style teams.
  • Manage, mentor and develop the internal patternmaking team, setting priorities, allocating resources and promoting continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Plan and monitor team activities and timelines to meet product development milestones and collection schedules.
  • Act as the primary technical reference for Product Development and Prototyping teams, facilitating problem-solving and cross-functional communication.
  • Represent modelling capabilities in collection and product advancement meetings, reporting on development status and technical issues.

Qualifications

  • Minimum 10 years of progressive, demonstrable experience in footwear patternmaking/modelleria, with a record of increasing responsibility.
  • Diploma in patternmaking/modelleria or equivalent technical qualification specific to footwear.
  • Deep, practical knowledge of materials (leathers, textiles, soles, components) and their behaviour through different manufacturing processes.
  • Proven ability to lead, inspire and develop a team in a high-performance environment.
  • Strong organisational skills with the capacity to manage complexity and deliver under tight timelines.

Skills

Technical drawing (manual and CAD) CAD Prototype development and fit analysis Materials expertise: leathers, textiles, soles and components Team leadership and people development Project planning and timeline management Cross-functional communication and problem-solving Pre-industrialisation processes

Experience

At least 10 years of progressive and consolidated experience as a footwear patternmaker/modellista, including leadership responsibility and hands-on prototype development.

Education

Diploma in patternmaking/modelleria (footwear) or equivalent technical qualification.

Culture

Christian Dior Couture fosters a culture of meticulous craftsmanship and creative excellence, where artisanal technique sits alongside technical innovation. Teams operate in a collaborative, collection-driven environment that demands high standards, continual learning and cross-disciplinary cooperation within the wider LVMH ecosystem.