Freelance Technical Designer - Denim

Li & Fung; New York (NY); On-site; USD 69,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Li & Fung is seeking a Freelance Technical Designer to support denim product development, ensuring fit, construction, and technical accuracy from development through production.

You will craft tech packs, manage graded specs, collaborate with Design and Sourcing, review fittings, and communicate with factories to resolve issues while keeping PLM/Excel documentation current.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of technical design experience, with strong denim experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Technical Design, Apparel Design, Textile Science, or a related field preferred.
• Strong knowledge of garment construction, patternmaking, grading, fit development, fabric performance, and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical design support for denim products, ensuring optimal fit, construction, quality, and consistency.
• Create and maintain detailed tech packs, graded specifications, BOMs, construction pages, and fit documentation using PLM and Excel.
• Apply strong garment construction, patternmaking, grading, and fit knowledge when reviewing and refining styles.
• Conduct fittings independently and provide clear, detailed fit comments focused on consistency, functionality, quality, and commercialization.
• Evaluate and measure samples from prototype through TOP approval, ensuring accuracy and consistency across size ranges.
• Partner closely with Design to maintain the intended aesthetic while resolving technical, fit, and construction challenges.
• Communicate effectively with factories and overseas partners regarding fit corrections, construction details, wash requirements, quality issues, and execution solutions.
• Track sample development and approvals against seasonal calendars to support on‑time delivery.
• Establish and maintain fit and construction standards for the denim business.
• Troubleshoot denim‑specific issues, including garment wash effects, fabric shrinkage, stretch and recovery, fit retention, seam construction, and overall garment performance.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, and Production teams to support end‑to‑end product development.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, specifications, comments, and approvals within PLM systems.
• Manage multiple styles, priorities, and deadlines effectively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Provide additional technical design support based on customer and business needs.

Skills

Denim expertise

Technical design

Adobe Illustrator

Microsoft Excel

PLM systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Technical Design, Apparel Design, Textile Science, or related field

Tools

Patternmaking

Grading

Bloomberg?

Job description

Are you a movement maker? Are you seeking new and exciting career opportunities? Here is what you need to know about the job: Join our dynamic team and take your career to the next level with our innovative and fast‑paced apparel organization. We are seeking a skilled Freelance Technical Designer to support the technical development and execution of products within our LF Markets Licensed & Apparel division, with a primary focus on denim for a key customer. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring the fit, quality, construction integrity, and technical accuracy of products from development through production. You will partner closely with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Production, and global sourcing teams to support the successful execution of the denim business. This position requires strong technical expertise in garment construction, patternmaking, fit development, fabric performance, and denim wash and construction techniques. If you have a keen eye for detail, a passion for bringing product to life, and strong technical design experience within denim and apparel, we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical design support for denim products, ensuring optimal fit, construction, quality, and consistency.
• Create and maintain detailed tech packs, graded specifications, BOMs, construction pages, and fit documentation using PLM and Excel.
• Apply strong garment construction, patternmaking, grading, and fit knowledge when reviewing and refining styles.
• Conduct fittings independently and provide clear, detailed fit comments focused on consistency, functionality, quality, and commercialization.
• Evaluate and measure samples from prototype through TOP approval, ensuring accuracy and consistency across size ranges.
• Partner closely with Design to maintain the intended aesthetic while resolving technical, fit, and construction challenges.
• Communicate effectively with factories and overseas partners regarding fit corrections, construction details, wash requirements, quality issues, and execution solutions.
• Track sample development and approvals against seasonal calendars to support on‑time delivery.
• Establish and maintain fit and construction standards for the denim business.
• Troubleshoot denim‑specific issues, including garment wash effects, fabric shrinkage, stretch and recovery, fit retention, seam construction, and overall garment performance.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, and Production teams to support end‑to‑end product development.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, specifications, comments, and approvals within PLM systems.
• Manage multiple styles, priorities, and deadlines effectively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Provide additional technical design support based on customer and business needs.

Skills & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Technical Design, Apparel Design, Textile Science, or a related field preferred.
• 5–7+ years of technical design experience, with strong denim experience.
• Strong knowledge of garment construction, patternmaking, grading, fit development, fabric performance, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of denim fabrics, washes, shrinkage, stretch and recovery, garment performance, and quality standards.
• Proven ability to independently lead fittings from development through TOP approval.
• Experience working with major retail customers and managing customer‑specific technical requirements preferred.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with cross‑functional teams and global vendors.
• High proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Excel, and PLM systems.
• Detail‑oriented with strong organizational, problem‑solving, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple styles and seasonal deadlines simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.

Compensation & Benefits

The approximate hourly rate range for this position is $50.00–$55.00 per hour. The offered hourly rate will vary based on role requirements, skill set, and years of experience.

As an equal opportunity employer, we shall consider all applicants regardless of gender, age, religion, marital status, race, sexual orientation, disability, disease, pregnancy, or trade union and/or political affiliation, and disregard all factors deemed inappropriate by local law and the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Fung Group is a pioneer for the consumer goods supply chain. With a rich history in import and export trading and global supply chain management dating back to 1906, our core businesses operate across the entire global supply chain for consumer goods including trading, logistics, distribution and retail. Today, we are focused on advancing new, disruptive technologies shaping the future of supply chains and exploring new opportunities for business growth through strategic innovation in retailing, new products, services or markets. Across Fung Group, our core values of entrepreneurship, being humble and acting as one family, form the basis for our culture, business strategies and brand.