Director of Development & Production - Luxury Fashion Brand

Mode Search are partnering with a high-growth luxury womenswear brand in their search for a Director of Development & Production to lead the build-out of their Milan production hub.

This is a rare opportunity to join a founder-led luxury business at a pivotal stage of growth, taking ownership of the full development and production lifecycle while building and leading the Milan function from the ground up. Working closely with the Founder, Creative Director and senior leadership team, the successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the operational infrastructure, factory partnerships, and product execution standards of the brand.

Based in Milan, this position will oversee all stages of development and production across RTW categories, ensuring exceptional quality, operational excellence, and alignment with the brand’s luxury positioning.

The Role

Development & Production Leadership

• Own the end-to-end development and production critical path across all product categories, from design handover through to final delivery
• Manage and develop relationships with Italian and European factories, ensuring the highest standards of craftsmanship and execution
• Lead costing negotiations across development and bulk production, balancing quality, margin, and delivery expectations
• Oversee fit approvals, sampling, production timelines, and quality control processes across all categories
• Ensure all products meet the brand’s luxury standards across construction, finish, and consistency

Team Management & Operational Structure

• Build and lead the Milan development and production team, including Product Development, Technical Design, and Production functions
• Establish operational processes, communication structures, and critical path management across the hub
• Drive accountability and efficiency across development calendars, sample tracking, and factory communication
• Partner with systems and operations teams to implement scalable tracking and process improvements

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Design and Creative teams to ensure design intent is achievable within production realities
• Maintain structured communication with international teams regarding development updates, costing, approvals, and timelines
• Collaborate with merchandising and logistics teams to support delivery windows and inventory flow
• Act as a key operational partner to senior leadership as the business continues to scale globally

Requirements

• 12+ years’ experience within luxury product development and/or production
• Strong knowledge of Italian manufacturing, luxury construction standards, and artisan production processes
• Proven experience managing full development and production functions, including critical path, factory management, costing, and quality control
• Strong leadership experience with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across creative and operational functions
• Fluent in both Italian and English
• Comfortable operating within a fast-paced, founder-led environment
• Based in Milan or open to relocation