Footwear Designer (Mid level)

Varley; Greater London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A contemporary fashion brand is seeking an experienced Footwear Designer to join their team. This role focuses on designing innovative footwear while collaborating with factories and the development team to bring concepts to life. Candidates should have a degree in Footwear Design, 4+ years of relevant experience, and advanced skills in Adobe Illustrator. This position requires strong organizational abilities, attention to detail, and a passion for materials and craftsmanship. No remote work option is available, with locations in London or Chesterfield.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in Footwear Design role.
• Experience working with footwear factories.
• Ability to prepare technical sole drawings and specs.
• Passion for footwear and materials with a keen attention to detail.
• Curious and boundary-pushing mindset while respecting brand ethos

Responsibilities

• Design original footwear concepts with a strong focus on contemporary styles.
• Collaborate with factories and suppliers for seasonal collections.
• Create Design Packs for production handovers.
• Maintain organized samples and material archives.
• Conduct fit testing for production handover.
• Conduct fit testing for smooth production handover
• Keep decks and range overviews up-to-date
• Prepare product knowledge documents with Graphic Design
• Present handover of collections to wholesale teams with Senior Designer
• Attend trade shows and off-site visits as required

Skills

Adobe Illustrator

Footwear Design

Technical Footwear Fit & Construction

Strong Presentation and Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Education

Degree in Footwear Design or equivalent experience

Tools

Blender

Gravity Sketch

Rhino

Job description

Salary - Dependent On Experience // Start Date - Asap //

Location - London or Chesterfield UK. No remote work option.

Who we are

Varley is a contemporary fashion brand for the modern woman. We offer year-round collections, including knitwear, outerwear, and everyday staples, complemented by a comprehensive active collection, to create an elevated wardrobe for how you live and move. We are defined by the women who wear Varley and exist to instil quiet confidence through collections that enhance everything they already are. As women’s lives evolve, so do we.

Who we want

An experienced and passionate Footwear Designer to join our thriving team. Attention to detail is essential as we obsess about every style in our collections. You must be able to follow direction while bringing your own creativity and ideas to the product and team. You must have demonstrable, relevant experience of designing and developing contemporary footwear to a high level.

The role

• Work with the footwear category Senior Designer (line manager) and Creative Design Director to design original footwear concepts as part of a cohesive Varley collection, with a strong focus on contemporary silhouettes, original soles, unique detailing and boldly refined use of colour, texture and materials.
• Working closely with footwear factories and component suppliers to source and develop seasonal collections.
• Creation of Design Packs and other materials to aid in smooth handover to factories and the Development Team.
• Work closely with the development/production team to ensure the concepts run smoothly into reality.
• Maintaining an organised archive of footwear samples, leather cards, and material swatches, ensuring materials are accessible and up to date.
• Conduct fit testing to ensure smooth handover of collections for production.
• Keep internal presentation decks, range overviews and other relevant documents up-to-date.
• Work with Graphic Design to prepare detailed product knowledge documents to equip the wider business.
• Presenting a detailed handover of collections to the wholesale teams, jointly with the Senior Designer.
• Attend trade shows and other valuable off-site visits as required.
• This list is not exhaustive and there will be other tasks and responsibilities required.

What you’ll need

• Degree in Footwear Design or equivalent experience.
• Experience in Footwear Design role (4+ years)
• Advanced Adobe Illustrator skills.
• Footwear factory experience, a strong technical and practical knowledge that allows you to deliver accurate concepts through to samples.
• A curious thinker who is comfortable experimenting and pushing boundaries, whilst respecting the brands ethos and values.
• Technical Footwear Fit & Construction knowledge.
• A knowledge of and ability to prepare technical sole drawings and specs.
• Knowledge of Leather and shoemaking with the ability to apply them in line with the Brand’s aesthetic.
• A passion for footwear and materials, with a keen eye for considered details, we use trim to elevate our products, so you must be knowledgable in this area.
• Strong Presentation and communication skills.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage several projects in tandem.
• The drive to work for a market leader and the adaptability to cope with the needs of a growing brand.
• Advantageous:
• In-House Fashion Brand experience
• Footwear 3D Familiarity (Blender, Gravity Sketch, Rhino)
• Experience in Sneaker specific design and conceptualization.

We are fully committed to fostering an environment of respect, inclusion and authenticity. We are proud to support the diversity and uniqueness of our employees.

You will be joining a strong and communicative in house team who work closely together on the design and development of our collections. Freelance applications are not appropriate for this role and will not be considered.