Free People Senior Designer - Denim

URBN Urban Outfitters, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision care

Employee discounts

Job summary

Free People, part of URBN Urban Outfitters, Inc., is seeking a Senior Denim Designer to drive denim design from concept through production. The role partners with the Senior Director to develop collections and steer denim innovation for the Free People customer.

Responsibilities include trend research, sketching, tech packs, BOM management, and seamless cross-functional collaboration for timely product execution at the World Headquarters in Philadelphia.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in apparel design preferred.
• 9+ years in denim/woven or related design required or preferred.
• Strong sense of fashion trends and Denim category knowledge.
• Excellent technical hand sketching and CAD skills (Procreate, Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Knowledge of fabric/wash, garment construction, and trims.
• Ability to sew and pattern if needed.
• Organizational skills and ability to lead a design team.

Responsibilities

• Design and trend development for denim products from concept to production.
• Create sketches and tech packs; manage monthly design packages.
• Collaborate with Design Director on collections; manage trims and BOMs.
• Design innovative silhouettes and details for denim washes and construction.
• Coordinate with vendors and cross-functional teams for timely execution.
• Oversee design package execution with Design Coordinator and Product Development.
• Communicate fit and design changes; lead weekly fit recaps.
• Prepare for meetings and support deadlines; drive creative excellence.
• Operate with agility in a fast-paced environment.

Skills

Denim design

Team leadership

Hand sketching

CAD skills

Procreate

Photoshop

Illustrator

Fabric knowledge

Garment construction

Sewing/patterning

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Apparel Design

Tools

Procreate

Photoshop

Illustrator

Job description

Role Summary

Free People is seeking a Senior Denim Designer!

At Free People our Denim Senior Designer plays a key role in driving the design process from initial concept through final production. This role will work closely with the Senior Director to help bring our collections to life. It's an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about Denim, pushing boundaries in design, and is eager to contribute to the ongoing development of Free People's denim business.

Role Responsibilities

• Design & Trend: Develop original designs in denim, researching current fashion trends and translating them into new designs for the Free People customer.
• Technical Design: Create detailed sketches and tech packs using Adobe Illustrator/Procreate for monthly design packages.
• Development: Collaborate with Design Director on monthly collections, managing trim sourcing, BOM updates, and sample tracking.
• Fabric & Structure: Utilize in-depth knowledge of denim washes, treatments, details and construction to design innovative silhouettes, details and styles found Only At Free People.
• Communication: Coordinate with vendors and cross-functional teams (production, buying, tech design) to ensure accurate, timely product execution.
• Manage the execution of design packages for assigned styles in close partnership with the Design Coordinator and Product Development team, supporting a smooth and informed development process
• Clearly communicate fit, construction, and design changes to cross-functional partners, including managing weekly fit recaps and escalating key changes when needed.
• Contribute to a highly collaborative team environment by preparing proactively for meetings, supporting deadlines, and helping drive creative excellence across the category.
• Operate with agility and a strong creative point of view in a fast-paced environment, responding thoughtfully to shifting priorities and business opportunities

Role Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Apparel Design preferred.
• 9+ Years of experience in Denim, Woven or related category apparel design preferred.
• Creativity is a must! Strong sense and understanding of Fashion Trends and how they could translate to the Free People customer. Ability to identify new trends and how those can relate to Denim category.
• Excellent technical, hand sketching and CAD skills in Procreate, Photoshop, Illustrator.
• Fabric/Wash knowledge as it relates to denim.
• Ability to sew and pattern if needed.
• Knowledge of garment construction is key.
• Strong sense of organizational skills as well as passionate of fast fast-paced environment.
• Experience in managing individuals and/or a team of designers.
• Self-starter with the ability to function independently as well as in a team-based environment.
• Great attention to detail and understanding of the sense of urgency and deadline.
• Upbeat, positive attitude, great team player, and ability to be flexible.
• Ability to work on-site 3-5 days per week at our World Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA.

The Perks

URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

EEO Statement

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.