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Innovative Design Director with 15 years of experience transforming brands through creative direction, producing brand-relevant, trend-forward apparel designs for men’s lifestyle denim, non-denim, performance, and outerwear. Proven design ownership from concept to launch, driving commercially successful go-to-market collections by building cross-functional partnerships, managing design calendars and margins, and delivering premium craftsmanship across product stages.…Innovative Design Director with 15 years of experience transforming brands through creative direction, producing brand-relevant, trend-forward apparel designs for men’s lifestyle denim, non-denim, performance, and outerwear. Proven design ownership from concept to launch, driving commercially successful go-to-market collections by building cross-functional partnerships, managing design calendars and margins, and delivering premium craftsmanship across product stages.

CHRISTOPHER J. LESTER

Designer, Creative Director, Art Director, +1

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Innovative Design Director with 15 years of experience transforming brands through creative direction, producing brand-relevant, trend-forward apparel designs for men’s lifestyle denim, non-denim, performance, and outerwear. Proven design ownership from concept to launch, driving commercially successful go-to-market collections by building cross-functional partnerships, managing design calendars and margins, and delivering premium craftsmanship across product stages.…Innovative Design Director with 15 years of experience transforming brands through creative direction, producing brand-relevant, trend-forward apparel designs for men’s lifestyle denim, non-denim, performance, and outerwear. Proven design ownership from concept to launch, driving commercially successful go-to-market collections by building cross-functional partnerships, managing design calendars and margins, and delivering premium craftsmanship across product stages.

Available to hire

Innovative Design Director with 15 years of experience transforming brands through creative direction, producing brand-relevant, trend-forward apparel designs for men’s lifestyle denim, non-denim, performance, and outerwear.
Proven design ownership from concept to launch, driving commercially successful go-to-market collections by building cross-functional partnerships, managing design calendars and margins, and delivering premium craftsmanship across product stages.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Work Experience

Design Director, Men’s at True Religion Brand Jeans

February 1, 2020 - October 1, 2025

Rehired to elevate designs and lead category strategies for men’s denim, non-denim, sportswear, and outerwear for a $450M business. Led design concepting and brand repositioning and launched men’s TR Sports plus brand-to-brand artist collaborations, including two full-price initiatives to grow DTC revenue across retail, ecommerce, and a mobile app. Leveraged expertise in fabrics, denim/wash/dye, design, and construction to improve workflow across product stages and deliver weatherproof performance wear with movement, functionality, size variation, and strong consumer appeal. Drove cross-functional partnerships with Merchandising, Product Development, and Marketing to meet seasonal calendar goals, fit, brand aesthetics, and cohesive storytelling. Managed six conceptual designers and owned performance accountability to CEO and Creative Lead for men’s denim and non-denim.

Head of Design, Men’s & Women’s at No Brand Jeans // three6five Denim

January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2020

Led design and built two denim-lifestyle brands from inception to market (men’s and women’s). Owned full design execution, brand identities, and category strategies for DTC channels. Used quality fabrics and Cone Denim to enhance design and sellability. Managed end-to-end design work including concepting, pattern creation, wash development, and fittings for premium execution with performance-forward construction. Directed the brand aesthetic and narrative through model selection, photoshoots, and visual presentation to strengthen originality and market positioning. Partnered with CEO/owner on calendars, execution, budget, price point, launch goals, and margins (65%–75%).

Design Director, Men’s at True Religion Brand Jeans

November 1, 2017 - January 1, 2019

Built, scaled, and led the design team delivering seasonal concepts and brand-driven capsules for men’s denim, non-denim, outerwear, and sportswear across a $225M business. Expanded and refined men’s categories including design, wash, fit, and craftsmanship. Managed high-profile collaborations to grow brand presence and exceed goals. Delivered four seasonal collections with YOY growth while balancing innovation and market demand. Strengthened partnerships with Merchandising, Product Development, and Technical Design to align divisional calendars and aesthetic. Managed and motivated a design team of six through business shifts.

Senior Designer

June 1, 2015 - November 1, 2017

Led design for men’s denim and sportswear, managed designers and product developers, and contributed to off-price channel business up to $250M through owned outlets and major clients. Maintained fit integrity and introduced new silhouettes across performance and lifestyle categories.

Design Development Manager

April 1, 2010 - June 1, 2015

Led a team of six across workflow and accurate prototype creation for men’s denim and non-denim. Boosted brand relevancy by owning the TR Bespoke Program, designing detailed custom denim styles for high-profile clients. Progressed from Assistant/Associate Designer through Manager to Men’s Design Director during tenure.