Associate Designer, Footwear

Madewell; New York (NY); On-site; USD 64,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Well-being

Associate Discount

Summer Fridays

Community Impact

Winter Break

Job summary

Madewell is seeking an Associate Designer, Footwear to join our Design team in New York. You will help bring our footwear vision to life across seasonal collections, working with Merchandising, Sourcing, and cross-functional teams to develop on-brand, commercially relevant product.

You will support the design and development of footwear from concept to production, contributing to seasonal direction while managing details to bring product to market.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of footwear design experience in fashion or retail.
• Strong understanding of footwear construction and materials.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support seasonal footwear collections from concept to production.
• Create sketches, technical drawings, colorways, and designs.
• Build seasonal presentations, line plans, mood boards, and docs.
• Collaborate with Design, Merchandising, and Sourcing to meet goals.
• Review samples and provide detailed feedback on fit and materials.

Skills

Footwear design

Adobe Illustrator

Sketching

Color & materials

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Our Story

At Madewell, we believe that great style starts with great design. Since 2006, we’ve been creating premium denim and foundational wardrobe pieces for men and women that balance quality, authenticity, and versatility. From iconic jeans perfected by denim experts to the essential tee, the most versatile shoe, and the timeless leather bag—if it’s Madewell, it’s made well. Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

About The Role

We are looking for an Associate Designer, Footwear to join our Design team and help bring our footwear vision to life across seasonal collections. This role will partner closely with Merchandising, Sourcing, and other cross-functional teams to develop product that is on-brand, commercially relevant, and aligned with the customer. The Associate Designer will support the design and development of footwear from initial concept through final production, contributing to seasonal direction while managing the details and execution required to bring product to market.

What You’ll Do

• Support the design and development of seasonal footwear collections across key categories.


• Research and identify relevant fashion, color, material, silhouette, and consumer trends to inform product development.


• Create sketches, technical drawings, colorways, and design concepts under the direction of the Footwear Design team.


• Build and maintain seasonal design presentations, line plans, mood boards, and product documentation.


• Partner with Design and Merchandising to understand business needs, customer insights, and seasonal product strategies.


• Work closely with Sourcing to ensure designs are executed accurately and meet quality, cost, and timing expectations.


• Review samples and provide clear, detailed feedback on design, construction, materials, color, and fit.


• Participate in sample reviews and seasonal milestone meetings.


• Maintain accurate product information and ensure design details are communicated clearly throughout the development process.


• Support the creation and maintenance of tech packs and other product specifications.


• Manage multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining a high level of organization and attention to detail.


• Stay current on footwear, fashion, retail, and competitive trends and bring relevant inspiration and ideas to the team.


• Collaborate across functions to help resolve product and execution challenges throughout the development cycle.

What You’ll Bring

• 2–4 years of footwear design experience, preferably within fashion, specialty, or vertical retail.


• Strong understanding of footwear design, construction, materials, and manufacturing.


• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator and Photoshop.


• Strong sketching and technical drawing skills.


• A strong eye for color, proportion, material, and detail.


• Ability to translate trends and inspiration into commercially relevant product.


• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across creative and business teams.


• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.


• Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to learn and contribute.


• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Footwear Design, or a related field preferred.

Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We’re always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Benefits + Perks

• Health & Well-being - Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.


• Associate Discount - We love our products just as much as you do! That’s why we offer a great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).


• Summer Fridays - In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday during the Summer months.


• Community Impact - We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.


• Winter Break - In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

Note: Availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to work location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements.

Salary Range: $64,200.00 - $79,600.00

At J.Crew Group (JCG) we aim to pay competitively for our company’s size and industry. The base salary offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region of work premises, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The base salary is just one component of J.Crew Group’s competitive total rewards strategy that also includes the opportunity for bonus, competitive benefits and perks.

One of our core focuses here at JCG is creating a community and culture that builds belonging. We are deeply committed to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and we warmly welcome job applicants of all backgrounds.

JCG is proud to affirmatively provide equal opportunity to all associates and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, legally protected physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected under applicable law.