Job Description

Where Timeless Luxury Meets Modern Elegance

Born from a bold vision in 1981, Karen Millen began with just £100 and a passion for perfecting the classic white shirt. That same commitment to impeccable style, quality, and craftsmanship lives on today.

Karen Millen is now a renowned premium womenswear brand, celebrated for flattering fits, meticulous design, and a dedication to detail that sets us apart. From elevated everyday essentials to timeless investment pieces, every piece is thoughtfully created for the modern woman, combining sophisticated design with enduring quality.

Join us in shaping the future of fashion with a brand built on heritage, innovation, and exceptional design.

The Role

At Debenhams Group, we are on a journey of transformation, revitalising our brand, culture, and connection with colleagues and customers alike. In a fast-changing retail environment, effective and authentic communication is vital to building trust, aligning our teams, and amplifying the impact of our work across internal and external audiences.

As an Assistant Designer, you’ll play a key role in researching emerging trends and developing soft woven designs that reflect our brand’s identity. You’ll work closely with Senior Designers across the soft wovens category, contributing to seasonal collections with a particular focus on embellished and embroidered pieces. Previous experience as a Design Assistant ideally within wovens or surface design is essential, as you’ll be expected to bring a solid understanding of development processes, artwork creation, and product lifecycle management. A genuine passion for artisanal techniques, especially the rich textile craftsmanship of India, will help you flourish in this role.

This role will be based out of our central London office.

What you’ll be doing

Key Responsibilities

• Researching, developing, and designing soft woven ranges including seasonal silhouettes, colour palettes, fabrications, and crafted details.
• Creating and developing embellishment and embroidery concepts, including artwork packs, placement layouts, and trim direction.
• Bringing prior experience in managing fabric libraries, tracking samples, building range boards, and supporting design meetings.
• Preparing presentation materials, supporting photoshoot planning, and assisting with coordination across the design room.
• Responding to trade and sales insights to develop commercially relevant, design-led product.
• Staying up to date with global craft and fashion trends—particularly textile traditions from India—and working with suppliers to translate these into thoughtful, elevated designs.
• Collaborating with the technical team on initial fittings and reviewing construction details.
• Building strong relationships with suppliers, guiding factories on craftsmanship, construction, materials, finishes, and trims.
• We’re looking for someone who brings fresh ideas, challenges conventions, and thrives in a fast-paced environment. Curiosity, creativity, and bravery are qualities we celebrate.

What we are looking for

Your Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• A design-based degree is preferred, along with previous experience as a Design Assistant, ideally in soft wovens, embellishment, or embroidery.
• A supportive team player willing to go the extra mile during high-pressure periods.
• Someone who identifies trends early and isn’t afraid to lead them.
• Confident working at pace, with a flexible and solution-focused mindset.
• A genuine passion for textiles, craft, and the refined aesthetic of Karen Millen.

Working with us

At Debenhams Group we thrive on change, innovation, and pace. Every challenge is an opportunity, and every day is a chance to push boundaries. If you’re someone who embraces the unknown, thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment, and is ready to shape the future of retail, you’ll love it here. We want visionaries, disruptors, and doers—people who bring fresh thinking, relentless energy, and the drive to make an impact.

Why Join Us

Our mission is to create a workplace where everyone is respected, individual differences are valued, and people can be themselves at work — without exception.

2025 was a year of significant change for the Group. 2026 is about bold moves, real results and unstoppable momentum. If that excites you, you belong at Debenhams Group.

Benefits Include: (subject to level and eligibility)

• Highly competitive bonus scheme, company pension, share schemes, private medical cover, and life assurance
• 40% discount across four brands and 20% off at Debenhams
• A comprehensive wellbeing package to support your health and lifestyle
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities with great internal career progression
• Free season ticket loan