Fashion Product Development

Maïa is an independent fashion product development and production studio born 5 years ago, working with emerging and established brands across apparel, knitwear, accessories and lifestyle products.
We work closely with Belgian and French designers, brands, suppliers and manufacturers throughout the entire product lifecycle. Position We are looking for a Product Development & Production Manager Assistant Trainee to join our small and growing team in Brussels, for a minimum of 6 months, from February 2027. We welcome applications from candidates eligible for internship scholarships or mobility programmes. Remuneration based on the obtained grant from the candidate. CIP (Belgium) also possible. This is a transversal role supporting the growth of the studio, working directly with the founders and you will be in regular contact with clients, partners, schools, suppliers and other external stakeholders.
The role is particularly suited to someone who is 100% proactive, passionate about fashion and wants to bring their own knowledge and ideas, experiment, and actively contribute to shaping the development of a young, entrepreneurial company in the fashion industry. Your responsibilities Product Development
• Support the development of garments and accessories from initial concept through prototypes and final samples.
• Prepare and organise fittings, including sample preparation, steaming, measurements and conformity checks.
• Assist during fittings and sample review sessions, taking notes and following up on required adjustments.
• Take garment measurements and support the creation and update of technical information and product files.
• Help organise and maintain technical documentation, specifications, comments and development information.
• Support material and component development, including fabrics, yarns, trims, labels and packaging.
• Assist with sample and development set management, including shipments, returns, tracking and physical organisation.
• Support the preparation of development boards, material references and collection overviews.
• Follow up on prototypes, samples, tests and approvals with suppliers and manufacturers. Production
• Support the Production Manager in the day-to-day follow-up of production orders.
• Maintain and update production trackers, collection overviews, order information and delivery schedules.
• Follow up on production milestones, sample approvals, materials and manufacturing timelines.
• Coordinate incoming and outgoing shipments with suppliers, manufacturers and clients.
• Track production samples, size sets, approvals and bulk references.
• Assist with quality control and conformity checks throughout development and production.
• Help organise production documents, purchase orders, invoices, packing lists and shipping information.
• Support the follow-up of stock movements, materials and production-related logistics.
• Communicate with suppliers and production partners to collect information, follow up on open points and keep projects moving.
• Studio & Operations
• Coordinate the reception, shipment, sorting and organisation of parcels related to collections.
• Maintain accurate physical and digital records of samples, materials and development pieces.
• Keep Excel tracking files and internal databases up to date.
• Support the organisation of the studio, including samples, fabrics, trims, packaging and supplies.
• Assist the team with the day-to-day coordination of multiple projects and clients.
• Contribute wherever needed to keep the studio and its projects running smoothly. You
• You own a Fashion Design title.
• You are ideally a Master student or young graduate.
• You have a strong interest in fashion product development, garment construction and production.
• You are curious about what happens behind the product, from materials and construction to manufacturing and logistics.
• You are organised, rigorous and highly detail-oriented and you are comfortable managing several projects, priorities and deadlines at the same time.
• You are proactive, practical and not afraid of hands-on tasks and enjoy working in a small team where responsibilities are varied.
• You are comfortable communicating with different profiles, from designers and creative teams to suppliers, manufacturers and production partners.
• You are comfortable with Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets and working with structured tracking documents.
• Knowledge of Zedonk is a plus.
• Previous experience in product development, production, sourcing or a fashion-related environment is a plus.
• You have a professional command of English. Italian is a strong plus.
• You are based in or around Brussels and comfortable working from the studio. Why join Maïa? At Maïa, you will work directly alongside a small team and be involved in the different stages of the product lifecycle. Rather than focusing on one specific part of the process, you will have the opportunity to understand how design, materials, technical development, suppliers, manufacturing, quality and logistics come together to create a finished product. You will work across different brands, product categories and production partners, gaining hands-on experience in a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment. This is a role for someone who is curious, adaptable and interested in learning through direct involvement in the product and in the day-to-day reality of fashion development and production.