Knitwear Industrialisation Specialist

Mode Search is supporting a luxury fashion brand with the search for an experienced Knitwear Industrialisation Specialist. This is a key role with end-to-end responsibility for the knitwear category, taking product from the initial creative concept and technical development through sourcing, production and final quality approval. Working in close partnership with the design team and specialist knitwear consultants, the successful candidate will translate creative ideas into technically robust, commercially viable products while ensuring the highest standards of execution throughout the development and production process.

Reporting to the Head of Product, the Knitwear Industrialisation Specialist will work closely with Design, Knitwear Consultants and Merchandising, while coordinating directly with mills and manufacturing partners across Italy and China.

The role

• Take ownership of knitwear development and industrialisation from initial concept through to final production and delivery.
• Translate design concepts into technically viable knitwear solutions, defining stitch, gauge, yarn, construction and finishing requirements.
• Create, develop and maintain comprehensive technical packs, specifications and knitting programmes for mills and manufacturing partners.
• Identify, source and assess appropriate yarns in collaboration with specialist suppliers and mills in Italy and China.
• Manage the development process across prototypes and subsequent sample stages, reviewing fit, construction, quality and overall execution.
• Identify and resolve technical challenges relating to construction, tension, shrinkage, fit and production feasibility.
• Review and approve top-of-production samples prior to bulk manufacturing.
• Oversee quality throughout production, including in-line controls and final inspections, ensuring agreed standards are maintained through to delivery.
• Manage communication, critical paths and production timelines with knitwear mills and factories across Italy and China.
• Partner closely with the design team to ensure the creative vision can be successfully translated into technically sound and commercially viable product.
• Maintain accurate costing information and proactively highlight technical or production constraints at an early stage of development.
• Investigate and resolve quality concerns, production issues and claims arising after manufacturing.

Requirements

• Demonstrable experience managing knitwear across the complete product lifecycle, from development and technical execution through production and quality control, ideally within the luxury or contemporary fashion sector.
• Extensive technical understanding of knitwear, including construction methods, gauges, stitch structures and yarn characteristics.
• Proven experience working directly with Italian knitwear mills and manufacturing partners, including production approvals and bulk-production oversight.
• Strong knowledge of technical pack creation, specifications and production documentation.
• A highly developed understanding of quality standards, with experience identifying and resolving issues during production.
• Excellent technical problem-solving skills, particularly in relation to fit, construction, quality and manufacturing feasibility.
• Comfortable operating cross-functionally across creative, product development, production and quality teams.
• Fluency in Italian and English is preferred.
• Portfolio or relevant examples of previous work can be submitted as part of the application.

Please note: Due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide individual feedback at this stage. Successful applicants will be contacted in due course.

Please contact info@modesearch.co.uk to apply