Mackenzie Leighton

I’m a designer and product leader with more than 15 years of experience creating apparel and building product-led brands.

Today, I lead concept design and innovation initiatives at The North Face. My work focuses on identifying future opportunities, building product concepts, and helping shape long-range product direction. Prior to moving into innovation, I spent years leading apparel design teams within the inline business, overseeing product creation from concept through commercialization. My responsibilities included maintaining design integrity across the line, leading fittings and product reviews, guiding material and construction decisions, working directly with factory partners, and ensuring products were executed to the highest standard.

At ISAORA, I worked directly with the founders to help build the product, processes, and product expression that defined the brand. My role spanned seasonal concept, product design, technical development, manufacturing, materials development, line architecture, fit, and translating a brand vision into a commercially viable product offering.

A consistent theme throughout my career has been using product to express a brand’s point of view. Whether helping redefine the product language of a legacy brand, translating an athlete-led story into a complete product system, or building seasonal product narratives, I’ve focused on turning ideas, values, and intent into products that people can experience and understand.

While much of my career has been spent in the outdoor and performance industries, my interests have always extended beyond technical apparel. I’m personally drawn to brands with a strong heritage and a clear point of view, as well as products that stand the test of time. Whether performance-driven or more refined and everyday in nature, I’ve always appreciated apparel rooted in quality materials, thoughtful design, and enduring value.

Relevant portfolio examples:

The North Face - Product Identity System | Reestablished a unified product language across The North Face after years of design drift.
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The North Face - The Drop | Translated an athlete-driven expedition story into a complete product system, aligning narrative, sustainability, materials, and performance into a single framework.
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The North Face - FW24 Resort | Developed a fashion-forward vision for women’s snowsports through consumer insight, cultural interpretation, and collection direction.
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My portfolio also includes examples of hands-on product design and development work that show the technical side of my background, including product creation, fit, materials, construction, manufacturing, and bringing products from concept through production.