Product Developer -fitness Apparel

Product Developer –Men's & Women's Fitness Apparel, Activewear & Athleisure We are looking for an experienced Product Developer / Apparel Product Developer / Garment Product Developer to join our client, a financially strong and growing international business operating a portfolio of globally recognised brands. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years' hands-on product development experience within sportswear, activewear or athleisure, covering both men's and women's apparel, with strong technical knowledge of garment construction, performance fabrics, fit, sampling and Far East manufacturing. This is a hands-on role covering product development from initial concept through to bulk production, working closely with Design, Sourcing, Operations and overseas factories across multiple collections and seasons. The Role You will be responsible for developing men's and women's apparel collections, including in-house ranges and Special Make-Up (SMU) collections, ensuring products meet the required quality, cost and delivery expectations. Key responsibilities include:

• Managing product development from initial concept through proto, pre-bulk, pre-sell, SMS and production stages.
• Working closely with Design teams to translate concepts into commercially viable products.
• Reviewing tech packs, measurement charts, garment specifications and grading.
• Attending fit sessions and providing technical comments on fit, construction and amendments.
• Developing and approving fabrics, trims, lab dips, print strike-offs and embroidery.
• Working directly with Far East factories and suppliers on product development, sampling, quality and timelines.
• Managing supplier allocation, product costings and FOB price negotiations.
• Reviewing and approving pre-production samples before bulk production.
• Ensuring correct labelling, wash-care instructions, packaging and product compliance requirements.
• Managing critical paths, sample approvals and production deadlines.
• Coordinating with Sourcing and Operations teams to ensure timely production and delivery.
• Supporting product collaborations and special make-up collections.
• Managing multiple seasons simultaneously across extensive men's and women's apparel ranges. What We Are Looking For
• Minimum 5 years' experience in apparel product development within sportswear, activewear or athleisure.
• Experience developing both men's and women's apparel.
• Strong technical understanding of garment construction, pattern cutting, fit and grading.
• Hands-on experience with technical fabrics, performance materials, fabric finishes and garment construction.
• Experience managing the complete product development process from concept, sampling and fitting through to bulk production.
• Strong experience working directly with Far East factories and suppliers.
• Experience in wholesale apparel businesses, including seasonal collections and SMU development.
• Good understanding of garment costings, FOB pricing, quality standards and production timelines.
• Experience managing tech packs, specifications, sample approvals and critical paths.
• Ability to manage multiple product categories, collections and seasons simultaneously.
• Good Excel skills.
• Experience developing sports accessories would be an advantage. We are particularly interested in someone who combines strong technical garment knowledge with practical, hands-on product development experience, understands the requirements of a fast-moving wholesale sportswear business and can work closely with factories to deliver the right product, quality, cost and timelines. Location: Watford Start: ASAP If you are an experienced Product Developer, Apparel Product Developer, Garment Product Developer or Technical Product Developer with a strong background in sportswear, activewear or athleisure, I would be interested in hearing from you. Key Words: ProductDeveloper ApparelProductDeveloper GarmentProductDeveloper SportswearProductDevelopment Activewear Athleisure ApparelDevelopment GarmentConstruction TechnicalFabrics PerformanceApparel GarmentTechnology FitDevelopment FabricDevelopment ProductSourcing WholesaleApparel SMU FarEastSourcing SeniorProductDeveloper, GarmentTechnologist, ApparelManufacturing, SampleDevelopment and PerformanceFabrics ProductDeveloper SeniorProductDeveloper ApparelProductDeveloper GarmentProductDeveloper ProductDevelopment SportswearProductDevelopment ApparelDevelopment GarmentDevelopment Sportswear Activewear Athleisure FitnessApparel FitnessWear PerformanceApparel PerformanceWear TechnicalSportswear TechnicalApparel GarmentTechnology GarmentTechnologist GarmentConstruction TechnicalFabrics PerformanceFabrics FabricDevelopment FitDevelopment PatternCutting GarmentFitting Grading SampleDevelopment GarmentManufacturing ApparelManufacturing ProductSourcing ApparelSourcing FarEastSourcing TechPacks CriticalPathManagement WholesaleApparel SMU Menswear Womenswear