Founding Fashion Designer (Freelance)

www.wearkinnik.com; New York (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

WearKinnik is seeking a Founding Fashion Designer to lead the creative direction of our initial apparel collections. You will own the full design process from silhouette and color to visual language and collection cohesion, while a separate Product Developer translates designs into production-ready specifications.

You will collaborate with our China-based sourcing partner on fabrics and trims, ensuring the final garments stay true to the original vision and possess both technical credibility and

Qualifications

• Strong fashion design portfolio.
• Ability to develop original garment concepts.
• Understanding of contemporary fashion and sportswear.
• Experience with performance textiles is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the garment design from concept to final design for the capsule collection.
• Define design language including silhouettes, colors, materials, and details.
• Collaborate with the Product Developer to ensure production-readiness and preserve design intent.
• Coordinate with China-based fabric/trims partner for material development.
• Review samples and fittings to protect the design vision.

Skills

Fashion design

Color theory

Material knowledge

Concept development

Collaboration with DEV

Outdoor culture

Technical textiles

Job description

We make considered essentials for life spent out in the world. We're building a brand at the intersection of performance apparel, fashion and outdoor culture: clothing designed to function outside without looking like conventional outdoor gear, and that inspires people to live colorfully. Our references include Salomon, ROA, Satisfy and And Wander, but we want to push beyond them into something distinctly us: more playful, colorful, unexpected and culturally curious. Technical performance matters. But so does looking great. We're looking for a Founding Fashion Designer with experience in technical attire to help define what that looks like.

The Role

You'll work directly with the founder to design our initial apparel collections from concept through final design. This is a creative fashion design role, not a technical product-development role. You will own the full creative side of the garment, from silhouette and color to visual language and collection cohesion. A separate Product Developer / Technical Designer will translate your designs into technical specifications, patterns, construction and production-ready garments. You'll work closely with them throughout development to make sure the final product preserves the original design intent. You'll also collaborate with our China-based sourcing partner on fabrics, trims and material development.

What You'll Do

Design our capsule collection. You'll own each garment end to end, from first concept through sketches, flats, colorways and final design.

Create our design language. You'll define the silhouettes, proportions, colors, materials and details that make us recognizable. The goal is for someone to recognize our garment before they see the logo.

Shape how technical and fashion elements work together. Hardware, pockets, layering and functional details should be design features with personality, not afterthoughts.

Protect the vision through development. You'll review samples and fittings with the Product Developer so the finished garment still feels like what we set out to make.

Our References

• Salomon: technical credibility + contemporary culture
• ROA: fashion + mountain utility
• Satisfy: performance + attitude
• and wander: technical function + fashion + color

We're interested in the space between outdoor equipment and contemporary fashion. You should understand performance apparel enough to design intelligently within that world, while bringing a distinctly fashion-oriented point of view.

Who We're Looking For

We are open to years of experience for the right fit. You might be:

• A recent graduate with an exceptional portfolio and unusually strong taste
• A fashion designer from a performance or outdoor brand
• A sportswear designer with a strong fashion point of view
• A fashion designer who has moved into technical apparel
• A designer working independently across fashion and performance

We're open to different backgrounds. Portfolio > pedigree. We care much more about whether you have a distinctive point of view than whether you've worked at a famous brand.

You Should Have

Must have:

• Strong fashion design portfolio
• Strong understanding of color and material
• Ability to develop original garment concepts
• Understanding of contemporary fashion and sportswear
• Ability to collaborate with technical/product-development teams
• Strong interest in outdoor culture and performance apparel
• Experience working with performance textiles

Especially valuable:

• Experience at a performance, outdoor or sportswear brand
• Technical apparel experience
• Outdoor / hiking / trail running / climbing / cycling experience
• Strong knowledge of contemporary fashion
• Technical design knowledge
• Experience working with Asian manufacturers

You don't need to be an expert in all of these. We're primarily looking for taste, originality and a strong design point of view.

Engagement

Project fee: Starting at $6500 for the capsule (4 styles, 2 colourways each). Fee is flexible depending on experience & fit.

• Moodboard & Design Language - 2 concept directions
• Capsule design (4 styles - 3 apparel, 1 accessory, 2 colorways each)
• Collaboration with technical product developer to get design ready for production
• 2 sample review

Timeline: ASAP - with all deliverables completed at end of November. Sample review will be in December/January.

Opportunity to convert full time.