Design Manager - Lifestyle

Location: Must be based in Victoria, BC
Hybrid: 3 days in office, 2 days remote
Salary range: $120,000 - $140,000 CAD
Reports to: Design Director

Who You Are

You are a technical and creative design & product leader with deep expertise in lifestyle apparel. You bring mastery in fit, construction, and fabric innovation, paired with the ability to translate creative direction into exceptional product execution. You are a strong manager who builds high-performing teams, leads fit and development with clarity, and consistently delivers category-defining products.

The Lifestyle Design Manager will help shape the future of our lifestyle collection and bring the Left On Friday world to life beyond the water. Reporting to the Design Director and working closely with our Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, you will help define the future of the Left On Friday lifestyle wardrobe while contributing to the broader creative vision of the brand.

This role is for someone who lives and breathes coastal culture, modern fashion, travel, and elevated dressing. You are endlessly inspired by the beach lifestyle, but your references extend far beyond swim. You are hyper-curious, drawing inspiration from fashion, art, travel, craftsmanship, design, and culture to create thoughtful, beautifully executed product. You understand how women want to dress today and are passionate about creating pieces that feel effortless, beautiful, and thoughtfully crafted. 

What You’ll Do

Execute Creative Direction for Lifestyle

• Execute seasonal concepts, silhouette development, fabric strategies, and innovation priorities aligned to the brand-led creative direction.

• Partner with Merchandising on line architecture, pricing, and seasonal assortment strategy.

• Translate customer insights and brand values into a product that is functional, elevated, and unmistakably LOF.

• Lead innovative approaches to materials, fit, and construction, elevating traditional apparel for the LOF lifestyle.

Lead Fit, Development & Technical Excellence

• Oversee the full product lifecycle, from sketch through final fit approval, with clear accountability for technical execution.

• Lead the Design team through the fit & development process, ensuring consistency, quality, and performance across categories.

• Partner with Product Engineering to refine construction, durability, technical performance, and comfort.

• With a clear understanding of fit consistency standards, you lead fit sessions with clear decision-making authority.

Deliver High-Performing Product

• Ensure product meets the highest standards for quality, functionality, and brand alignment.

• Champion sampling excellence, efficient approval workflows, and problem resolution.

Lead & Grow a High-Performing Team

• Manage and coach your team, fostering ownership and continuous improvement.

• Provide clear direction, process structure, and tools that enable seamless execution.

• Develop junior talent and ensure alignment to overall design and technical strategy.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Production & Sourcing on fabric evaluation, performance testing, and technical troubleshooting.

• Collaborate with Brand on storytelling to ensure lifestyle products are integrated into campaigns accurately and powerfully.

• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver on margin, quality, and go-to-market expectations.

Drive Operational and Process Excellence

• Lead sampling strategy, calendar management, and communication workflows.

• Continuously refine processes to improve accuracy, speed, and product consistency.

• Ensure timelines are met and product hits margin, quality, and brand standards.

What You Bring

• 8+ years of women’s apparel design experience; 3+ years directly leading teams.

• Strong background in contemporary fashion, premium lifestyle, resort, or ready-to-wear categories

• Proven ability to scale categories and deliver iconic, high-performing products.

• Excellent trend forecasting and market awareness

• Strong understanding of garment construction, fit, and fabrication

• Strong partnership skills across Development, Fit, Production, Sourcing, Merchandising, and Brand.

• A leadership style grounded in clarity, accountability, and team empowerment.

• Naturally collaborative, you lead through influence, not ego.

What Sets You Apart

• You have impeccable taste and a strong personal point of view

• You are obsessed with beautiful product and thoughtful details

• You understand how women build wardrobes, not just individual garments

• You bring a strong understanding of coastal, resort, and beach lifestyle culture

• You have a passion for craftsmanship, premium materials, and elevated design

• You are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of an emerging global lifestyle brand

Interested?
Submit your application here. Applications close October 31, 2026.