Associate Designer, Footwear

Majesty Brands; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

FSA

EAP

Employee Discount Programs

Two work-from-home days per month

Job summary

Majesty Brands is seeking an Associate Footwear Designer to join our Footwear team. This role focuses on Women’s, Men’s, and Kids footwear with an emphasis on slippers and comfort constructions.

You will work with the Head of Footwear and cross-functional partners to take product from concept through development and commercialization, balancing trend with price and constructability.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of professional footwear design experience.
• Experience designing Women’s, Men’s, and Kids footwear.
• Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Head of Footwear throughout product development lifecycle.
• Design innovative, trend-right, commercially viable footwear collections.
• Create CADs, colorways, technical sketches, specs, and materials callouts.
• Communicate construction specifications to overseas factories and partners.
• Manage development samples and maintain design archives.

Skills

Footwear construction

Trend analysis

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

CAD software

Job description

Location: Onsite - New York City (See Featured Benefits)

FLSA: Exempt or Non-Exempt, based on final compensation and applicable wage-and-hour requirements

Status: Full-Time

Reports To: Head of Footwear

Pay Range: $65,000 - $75,000 annually

Company Overview

Majesty Brands is a global leader in the socks, sleepwear, intimates, footwear, and accessories categories. With distribution in over 70 countries and a dynamic, seasoned staff, Majesty is a “go to” resource for retailers and brands alike. Majesty has dedicated teams strategically placed to maintain business in each area of retail. Our approach is simple. We want to service each customer’s needs. Sometimes it’s about value and sometimes it’s about fashion; in all cases, we’re here to ensure the end user is completely satisfied with their purchase.

Position Overview

Majesty Brands is seeking a creative, commercially minded, and detail-oriented Associate Footwear Designer to join our Footwear team. This role will support the design and development of Women’s, Men’s, and Kids footwear, with a strong focus on slippers and related comfort footwear categories.

The ideal candidate has professional footwear design experience and a strong technical understanding of footwear construction, materials, components, and development. This individual should be able to interpret different brand DNAs, translate market and trend research into commercially viable product, and balance creativity with retail price, cost, construction, and volume potential.

This position will work closely with the Head of Footwear and cross-functional partners across Product Development, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and Sales to take product from initial concept through development and commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Head of Footwear throughout the product development lifecycle, including market research, trend analysis, mood board creation, footwear design, construction development, and commercialization.
• Design innovative, trend-right, and commercially viable footwear collections that support seasonal business objectives and reflect the positioning and target customer of each brand.
• Create CADs, colorways, technical sketches, construction specifications, material callouts, pattern layouts, and presentation materials using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Develop technical footwear designs and clearly communicate construction specifications, materials, components, and pattern layouts to overseas factories and development partners.
• Research footwear, fashion, retail, color, material, and consumer trends and translate findings into relevant seasonal product concepts.
• Review prototypes and development samples, providing detailed corrections and comments related to construction, proportion, fit, color, materials, trims, hardware, and overall execution.
• Manage multiple sample rounds and partner with Production and Sales on development sample comments and revisions.
• Review and maintain specification sheets, line sheets, product development logs, design boards, CAD libraries, and design archives to ensure accuracy and organization.
• Organize, maintain, and manage development samples throughout the design office.
• Create and maintain seasonal product catalogs, line sheets, and presentation materials throughout the development cycle.
• Communicate with overseas factories and vendors regarding sample development, revisions, materials, approvals, and timelines.
• Participate in design reviews, line reviews, and seasonal product presentations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product Development, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and Sales to maintain product integrity from concept through commercialization.
• Balance trend, brand positioning, customer requirements, retail price, cost, construction, and volume potential when developing product.
• Manage multiple brands, projects, sample rounds, and development calendars within tight seasonal timelines and key market deadlines, including FFANY.

Experience & Skills

• Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, components, trims, hardware, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of slipper constructions, including moccasins, clogs, mules, scuffs, booties, ballerinas, indoor/outdoor slippers, and comfort constructions.
• Knowledge of footwear materials and components, including textiles, faux fur/shearling, microsuede, knits, trims, footbeds, linings, EVA/TPR/rubber outsoles, and memory-foam constructions.
• Experience creating footwear CADs, technical specifications, construction details, pattern layouts, and development packages.
• Ability to interpret different brand DNAs and develop distinct collections appropriate to each brand and target customer.
• Experience conducting competitive and market research and translating trends into commercially viable product.
• Ability to review prototypes and samples, provide detailed corrections, and manage multiple rounds of development.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; experience with footwear-specific design and development software is a plus.
• Experience working directly with overseas factories, vendors, and development partners.
• Strong color, material, trend, and product sensibility combined with a commercially driven design approach.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple brands, licenses, priorities, and development calendars simultaneously.
• Ability to work effectively within tight development timelines and key market deadlines, including FFANY.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to present seasonal concepts and collections internally.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and Sales.
• Experience designing product for off-price retail channels.

Requirements

• 2-5 years of professional footwear design experience required.
• Direct professional design experience across Women’s, Men’s, and/or Kids footwear required.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of footwear construction, materials, components, and product development.
• Experience developing footwear from initial concept through sample development and commercialization.
• Bachelor’s degree in Footwear Design, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, or a related field preferred.
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure in a high-visibility role within a rapidly growing category.

Salary Disclosure

Majesty Brands is committed to offering a compensation package that reflects the qualifications and experience of the individual. The anticipated salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000 annually, with final compensation determined based on experience, skills, and overall fit for the role. FLSA classification will be determined based on final compensation and applicable wage-and-hour requirements.

Featured Benefits

• 401(k)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee Discount Programs
• Two work-from-home days per month
• Additional Voluntary Benefits, Wellness Programs, and Employee Perks Available
• Monthly “Majesty” employee engagement and learning experiences

Equal Opportunity Employer

Majesty Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.