<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-06-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000906782</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CYGNE DESIGNS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CYDS.OB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001173229</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GUEZ HUBERT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O DIVERSIFIED APPAREL RESOURCES, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5804 E. SLAUSON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>COMMERCE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90040</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>584220</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Griffin James Aron Guez Irrevocable Trust  dated January 1, 1996</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>584220</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Stephan Avner Felix Guez Irrevocable Trust  dated January 1, 1996</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-04-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>45000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4381420</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7423711</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Griffin James Aron Guez Irrevocable Trust dated January 1, 1996 (the &quot;Griffin Guez Trust&quot;) owns 584,220 shares of the Company's Common Stock. Effective June 1, 2007, JFJ Holdings, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company (the &quot;Trustee&quot;), was appointed as trustee of the Griffin Guez Trust in replacement of Marguerite Esther Guez, who resides in the Reporting Person's household. The Reporting Person no longer may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Griffin Guez Trust. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by the Griffin Guez Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Stephan Avner Felix Guez Irrevocable Trust dated January 1, 1996 (the &quot;Stephan Guez Trust&quot;) owns 584,220 shares of the Company's Common Stock. Effective June 1, 2007, the Trustee, was appointed as trustee of the Stephan Guez Trust in replacement of Stephan Guez, the Reporting Person's son. Thus, the Reporting Person no longer may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Stephan Guez Trust. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by the Stephan Guez Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reflects 45,000 shares inadvertently included in the Reporting Person's previous filings as being directly held by him when in fact such shares are held directly by the Guez Living Trust dated December 6, 1996 (the &quot;Guez Living Trust&quot;). Because the Reporting Person is co-trustee, along with his spouse Roxanne Guez, of the Guez Living Trust, the Reporting Person may be deemed to beneficially own the 45,000 shares held by the Guez Living Trust. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by the Guez Living Trust except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Consists of 1,615,915 shares held by the Guez Living Trust, 1,379,225 shares held by 215 GZ Partners and 4,428,571 shares held by Diversified Apparel Resources, LLC (&quot;Diversified&quot;). The Reporting Person may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by Diversified, the Guez Living Trust and 215 GZ Partners but disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Hubert Guez</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-08-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
