Role Overview
We are seeking a hands-on Apparel Product Development Manager (Athleisure & Sportswear) to lead end-to-end technical development and production execution of athleisure and sportswear collections. The role will take products from initial concept and design drawings through technical development, sampling, fitting, quality approval, bulk production, and launch readiness.
A key priority is to mentor the design team and strengthen its practical capability in detailed Tech Packs, garment construction, sample development, fitting, factory communication, and production execution. The successful candidate will provide structured, hands-on guidance so design concepts can be translated into commercially viable garments that are ready for manufacturing and sale.
The role will also serve as the main product-development link between the Singapore team and overseas manufacturers, suppliers, and quality-control partners, ensuring that timelines, technical requirements, sample iteration, costing, production readiness, and quality standards are properly managed.
What You’ll Do:
* Team Mentorship &Capability Building: Provide structured, practical guidance to the design team in creating precise Tech Packs, mastering garment construction, and navigating sample development and fitting, and factory communication.
* Drive Commercial Readiness: Bridge the gap between design vision and production execution, ensuring garments meet high standards of quality, fit, and manufacturability.
* Technical &Commercial Execution: Translate creative concepts into commercially viable, high-quality garments that are fully optimized for manufacturing.
* Manage Vendor Operations & Global Supply Chain: Serve as the primary link between our Singapore office and overseas partners (factories, manufacturers, suppliers, and QC teams) to driving timelines, costing, sample iterations, production standards and strict quality control.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Trend Research, Collection Planning & Product Direction
* Conduct ongoing research into global fashion trends, consumer insights,market developments, competitor activities, and seasonal colour forecasts toidentify emerging opportunities and support business growth.
* Leverage trend forecasting platforms (e.g., WGSN) and other industryresources to develop seasonal collection strategies, including productassortment, silhouettes, fabric selection, colour palettes, and key designdirections.
* Translate market intelligence and consumer insights into commerciallyviable product strategies that align with the brand's positioning, targetcustomer profile, pricing architecture, and evolving market demand.
* Provide both creative and commercial direction throughout the product development process by partnering with the Design team during concept development and design reviews, ensuring collections balance innovation, functionality, manufacturability, cost efficiency, quality, and sales performance.
2. Design Translation & Technical Product Development
* Collaborate closely with the Design team to review sketches, concepts,and prototypes, evaluating design feasibility, fit, construction,functionality, cost, quality, and manufacturability.
* Develop and refine professional fashion illustrations, technical flats,and comprehensive production-ready Technical Packs (Tech Packs) to supportaccurate sample development and bulk production.
* Prepare detailed and accurate garment specifications, including Bills ofMaterials (BOM), Points of Measurement (POM), construction details, stitchingand seam specifications, colour standards, trims, labels, artwork placement,wash and finishing requirements, packaging specifications, and other technicaldocumentation.
* Create, maintain, and continuously update standardised product SKU templates, technical documentation, and product development records throughout the entire product lifecycle, from concept development, sampling, fitting, and approvals to bulk production.
* Provide technical product development guidance to ensure the original design intent is maintained while optimising garment fit, quality, comfort, performance, cost efficiency, and manufacturing productivity.
3. Design Team Mentoring & Capability Building
· Coach and mentor the Design team throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept and design development to sample approval and production readiness.
· Strengthen the team's technical capabilities by providing hands-on guidance in developing comprehensive Tech Packs, preparing technical flats, communicating construction specifications, evaluating samples, identifying quality and fit issues, and delivering clear, actionable feedback to suppliers and factories.
· Develop and implement practical tools, including standardised templates, checklists, technical standards, sample review guidelines, fit evaluation criteria, and factory comment formats, to establish consistent product development practices.
· Build the Design team's capability and confidence to independently manage the end-to-end product development process, ensuring sustainable knowledge transfer and continuous improvement beyond the contract period.
4. Fabrics, Textiles, Trims & Garment Construction
· Provide expert technical guidance on fabrics, performance textiles, trims, garment construction, wash treatments, finishing techniques, and apparel manufacturing processes to ensure products meet design, quality, and commercial objectives.
· Recommend the most suitable fabrics and materials based on garment functionality, stretch and recovery, hand feel, breathability, opacity, durability, care requirements, quality standards, target cost, and customer expectations.
· Collaborate with fabric mills, trim suppliers, and manufacturing partners to evaluate material availability, minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times, colour consistency, quality standards, and production feasibility.
· Proactively identify potential material, construction, or manufacturing risks during the development process and recommend practical, cost-effective alternatives that preserve the original design intent, product performance, and brand standards.
5. Sampling, Fitting & Product Refinement
· Plan, and oversee the end-to-end sampling process, including prototype, development, fit, size-set, pre-production (PPS), and final approval samples, ensuring each stage is completed accurately and on schedule.
· Lead fit sessions and provide detailed technical feedback on garment measurements, fit, proportions, silhouette, mobility, support, comfort, construction, finishing, and overall product quality to achieve the desired design and performance standards.
· Maintain comprehensive sample records, including revision history, fit comments, approval status, version control, and supporting technical documentation for every style and SKU throughout the product development lifecycle.
· Collaborate closely with the Design team, Product Development team, and manufacturing partners to resolve technical issues promptly, optimize sample quality, and minimize unnecessary sampling iterations, development lead times, and associated costs.
6. International Manufacturer, Sourcing & Production Coordination
· Serve as the primary product development liaison between the Singapore team and overseas manufacturers, fabric mills, trim suppliers, sourcing partners, and Quality Control (QC) teams to ensure seamless communication and execution.
· Provide clear and accurate technical instructions, respond promptly to factory enquiries, coordinate sample submissions, and ensure all design revisions and technical requirements are fully understood and correctly implemented.
· Manage the end-to-end product development timeline, from design handover through material sourcing and confirmation, sampling, costing, pre-production approval (PPS),bulk production, and shipment readiness, ensuring key milestones are achieved.
· Coordinate with suppliers and manufacturing partners on product costing, minimum order quantities (MOQs), production lead times, manufacturing capacity, material availability, and technical feasibility to support efficient production planning.
· Collaborate cross-functionally with Design, Sourcing, Product Development, Production, Operations, and Quality Control (QC) teams to ensure products are delivered on schedule, within target costs, and in accordance with quality and brand standards.
· Proactively identify, assess, and escalate risks related to quality, cost, timelines, materials, or production feasibility, and recommend practical, commercially viable solutions to minimize business impact.
7. Quality Control & Production Readiness
· Establish and implement product-specific quality standards, measurement tolerances, workmanship criteria, testing requirements, and inspection checklists to ensure consistent product quality across all production stages.
· Review and approve fabrics, colours, trims, garment construction, workmanship, fit, labelling, packaging, and pre-production (PPS) samples prior to bulk manufacturing to ensure compliance with approved specifications and brand standards.
· Coordinate quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) activities with manufacturers and third-party inspection partners, monitor inspection outcomes, and ensure timely implementation of corrective and preventive actions where required.
· Verify that all approved Technical Packs (Tech Packs), product specifications, fit approvals, samples, and quality standards are accurately communicated and implemented during bulk production.
· Conduct final product evaluations before market launch, resolve production-related quality issues, and ensure all products meet the Company's quality, safety, performance, and commercial standards before release for sale.
8. Product Development Process Improvement
· Lead the continuous optimization of the end-to-end product development process, encompassing concept development, design review, material sourcing, costing, sampling, fitting, quality evaluation, production readiness, and bulk manufacturing.
· Review and enhance product development workflows, technical documentation standards, communication protocols, and cross-functional collaboration to improve operational efficiency, accuracy, and consistency.
· Establish and implement structured stage-gate processes, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, approval workflows, performance reporting, and governance practices to strengthen product quality, manufacturing consistency, team accountability, and speed to market.
· Capture and document lessons learned, supplier performance evaluations, recurring technical and production issues, best practices, and recommendations to support continuous improvement and future seasonal collections.
9. Collection Launch Support
* Collaborate closely with Leadership, Design, Product Development, Operations, Marketing, and E-commerce teams to readiness aligns with collection launch timelines and commercial objectives.
* Prepare and provide accurate product information for both internal and customer-facing materials, including fabric composition, fit, functionality, sizing, care instructions, product features, performance attributes, and substantiated product claims.
* Support final launch readiness by ensuring all product specifications, packaging, labelling, quality approvals, and delivery requirements are completed and approved prior to the commercial launch and commencement of sales.
10. Category Expansion& New Product Development
* Identify and evaluate adjacent product categories that complement the Company's core apparel portfolio and address evolving customer needs, market trends, and commercial growth opportunities.
* Assess new category opportunities based on consumer demand, brand alignment, supplier capability, technical feasibility, minimum order quantities(MOQs), target costing, margin potential, lead times, quality standards, regulatory requirements (where applicable), and operational complexity.
* Develop comprehensive category briefs, product requirements, development roadmaps, business cases, and launch recommendations to support the evaluation and implementation of approved new product categories.
* Source, evaluate, and coordinate with specialist manufacturers, suppliers, and technical partners for product categories beyond the co reapparel business, ensuring they meet the Company's quality, cost, and delivery expectations.
* Adapt and establish appropriate product development processes, technical documentation, quality standards, approval workflows, testing protocols, and supplier management practices to support the successful introduction of new categories.
* Manage pilot product development, validation, and initial production runs; monitor post-launch performance, customer feedback, quality outcomes, and commercial results, and provide recommendations on whether the category should be refined, expanded, or discontinued.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
Essential Experience & Qualifications
* Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in apparel product development, technical design, garment production, product engineering, or a related role within the fashion or apparel industry.
* Proven experience in athleisure, activewear, sportswear, performance apparel, womenswear, or lifestyle apparel, with a strong understanding of technical and commercial product development.
* Demonstrated ability to manage the complete apparelproduct development lifecycle, from concept and sketch through technicalillustration, Tech Pack creation, sampling, fitting, pre-production approval(PPS), bulk manufacturing, and final quality assurance.
* Strong technical knowledge of garment construction,pattern making and fit development, grading, Points of Measurement (POM),fabrics, trims, stitching techniques, wash treatments, finishing processes, andapparel quality standards.
* High proficiency in creating and reviewingprofessional fashion illustrations, technical flats, comprehensive TechnicalPacks (Tech Packs), Bills of Materials (BOM), SKU templates, and productiondocumentation.
* Practical experience using WGSN or equivalent fashiontrend forecasting and industry research platforms to support collectionplanning and product strategy.
* Proven experience collaborating with and managingapparel development across overseas manufacturers, fabric mills, trimsuppliers, and sourcing partners in multiple countries and time zones.
* Strong project management and organisational skills,with the ability to manage multiple product styles, development timelines,samples, revisions, approvals, production schedules, and technical riskssimultaneously.
* Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor juniordesigners and product development team members, fostering technical capabilitywhile maintaining high standards of quality, accountability, and continuousimprovement.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Proficiency in Mandarin or other languages is an advantage for effective communication with overseas suppliers and manufacturing partners.
* Proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Microsoft Excel. Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, 3D garment development, digital sampling, or other product development technologies will be a distinct advantage.
Preferred Qualifications
* Experience developing and scaling apparel products for the North American and European markets, with a strong understanding of regional consumer preferences, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.
* Experience working with Direct-to-Consumer (DTC),omnichannel, or e-commerce-first brands, with a strong appreciation offast-paced product development and customer-centric merchandising.
* Familiarity with agile, fast-response, ordemand-driven product development and supply chain models, enabling rapidproduct launches and market responsiveness.
* Experience launching and managing products acrossdigital marketplaces, social commerce, and e-commerce platforms, includingTikTok Shop, Amazon, Shopify, SHEIN, or similar channels.
* Experience supporting emerging brands, brandincubation, new business ventures, or category expansion initiatives, with theability to build scalable product development processes from concept tocommercialisation.
* Proficiency in Mandarin is an advantage to facilitateeffective communication and collaboration with suppliers, manufacturers, andsourcing partners across Greater China and other Mandarin-speaking markets.
What Success LooksLike
* Apparel collections are successfully launched or fullyproduction-ready, with approved fit, quality, costing, technicalspecifications, production documentation, and manufacturing readiness achievedwithin planned timelines.
* The Design team is capable of independently developingproduction-ready Technical Packs (Tech Packs), technical flats, sampleevaluation comments, factory instructions, and supporting technicaldocumentation that meet industry and manufacturing standards.
* A comprehensive product development framework isestablished, including standardised Tech Pack and SKU templates, productdevelopment playbooks, sample review processes, quality assurance procedures,and technical documentation standards that support consistency and scalability.
* Strong, collaborative partnerships are establishedwith overseas manufacturers and suppliers, supported by clear communication,structured workflows, and improved visibility over development timelines,costs, risks, quality, approvals, and production status.
* Seasonal product strategies, collection planning, andcolour direction are consistently driven by structured consumer insights,market intelligence, competitor analysis, and global trend forecasting,resulting in commercially relevant product offerings.
* New product categories and business opportunities areevaluated through a structured and disciplined product development process,with approved initiatives supported by robust category briefs, feasibilityassessments, supplier sourcing strategies, development roadmaps, riskevaluations, and commercially sound launch recommendations.