Accessories Designer - Bags & Leather Goods in City of London

Casablanca Paris represents a unique vision of luxury, blending Parisian elegance with multicultural influences. Dedicated to exceptional craftsmanship, modern sophistication, and a free-spirited ethos, Casablanca Paris offers more than just fashion; it offers an immersive luxury experience.

Casablanca is seeking a highly creative Bags and Leather Goods Designer to lead the design and development of our luxury handbag collection, ensuring it reflects the brand's creative vision, luxury positioning and commercial strategy. This role requires a strong understanding of luxury leather goods, exceptional design sensibility and a passion for craftsmanship. You will be responsible for researching trends, materials and innovative construction techniques while developing distinctive handbags that embody the Casablanca aesthetic.

Working closely with Product Development, Merchandising, suppliers and manufacturers, you will oversee the design process from initial concept through to sample approval and production.

The Role

• Conduct seasonal research into trends, materials, colours, hardware, construction techniques and luxury leather goods to develop innovative design concepts.
• Create mood boards, design presentations and Product Range Lists aligned with the Casablanca brand vision and seasonal direction.
• Design and develop the seasonal Bags collection, including handbags, totes, shoulder bags, crossbody bags, evening bags, travel bags and small leather goods where required.
• Work closely with the Creative Director throughout every stage of the design and development process.
• Collaborate with Merchandising to ensure designs meet commercial objectives, pricing architecture and target margins.
• Source premium leathers, fabrics, hardware, trims and components in partnership with suppliers and the Product Development team.
• Produce detailed technical drawings, specifications and Bills of Materials (BOMs) to support product development.
• Work closely with Product Development and factories to ensure accurate prototyping, sampling and production.
• Attend sample reviews and fittings, providing detailed feedback on construction, proportions, functionality and finish.
• Drive innovation through new silhouettes, hardware concepts, material combinations and functional design solutions while maintaining Casablanca's distinctive luxury identity.
• Present seasonal collections and product developments to internal stakeholders.
• Support showroom setup, collection styling, fashion shows, presentations and marketing activities.
• Manage timelines to ensure all design milestones are achieved within the seasonal calendar.
• Maintain awareness of departmental budgets and manage role-related expenditure responsibly.

The Candidate

• Minimum of 5 years' experience designing luxury handbags and leather goods, preferably within the luxury fashion industry.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional creativity and technical expertise in handbag and leather goods design.
• Excellent knowledge of handbag construction, luxury materials, leather types, hardware and manufacturing processes.
• Experience creating technical drawings, specifications and product development documentation.
• Strong understanding of luxury craftsmanship, finishing techniques and quality standards.
• Excellent knowledge of market trends, competitor brands and emerging innovations within luxury accessories.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and Photoshop) and Microsoft Office.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple collections and deadlines.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across Design, Product Development and external suppliers.
• Passion for luxury fashion with a keen eye for detail, innovation and craftsmanship.