Free People Senior Designer - Denim

Free People; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Employee discounts

Retirement savings plan

Job summary

Free People is seeking a Senior Denim Designer to lead denim design from concept through production, reporting to the Senior Director. You will drive trend research, create technical sketches and packages, and collaborate across teams to deliver new denim collections.

The role emphasizes strong CAD/hand-sketch skills, fabric/wash knowledge, and the ability to manage design packages and fit communications in a fast-paced, on-site setting at our World Headquarters in Philadelphia.

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.
• Excellent technical, hand sketching and CAD skills in Procreate, Photoshop, Illustrator.

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 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

Skills

Creative thinking

Trend analysis

Communication

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Apparel Design

Tools

Procreate

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

CAD

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.