Trend & Design Manager at Pepkor Speciality

Job Description    

• The Trend & Design Manager will shape and translate fashion trends, customer insights, and creative direction into a commercially relevant design and trend strategy for the brand.
• This role will establish and lead a new Trends & Design function, bringing together trend forecasting, fashion direction, CAD, graphic design, and product design capabilities. The role will ensure the brand remains fashion-forward, relevant, and distinctive, while balancing creativity with commerciality, customer needs, and the overall brand strategy.

Qualifications    

• Matric/Grade 12
• A relevant qualification in Graphic Design or Fashion Design or a related creative discipline

Knowledge, Skills and Experience    

• Fashion trend forecasting
• Ladies’ apparel and product design
• Fashion and consumer trends
• CAD and digital design
• Graphic design and print development
• Product development processes
• Fashion retail and commercial merchandising
• Competitor and market analysis
• Seasonal product planning
• Brand positioning and customer segmentation.
• Commercially aware — understands price point and sell-through
• Works well under pressure; manages multiple briefs to deadline
• Collaborative and receptive to buyer and design feedback
• Self-motivated; takes ownership from brief to approval
• Expert repeat and colourway skills in Illustrator
• Strong colour sensibility and Pantone fluency
• Clean, production-ready file output as standard
• Ability to read and interpret fabric and print tech packs
• Comfortable working across multiple print techniques simultaneously

Key Responsibilities    

• Trend Strategy & Fashion Direction
• Develop and own the brand’s overall trend and fashion direction.
• Identify the new directions in fashion, color, print, fabric, silhouette, and styling.
• Design Direction & Creative Concepting
• Establish a clear and consistent creative and design vision across the brand.
• Lead the development of seasonal design concepts and product stories.
• CAD & Graphic Design Direction
• Customer & Market Insight
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration

Deadline:7th September,2026