Principal Designer - Apparel

YETI Coolers, LLC; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 136,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

YETI Coolers, LLC seeks a Principal Designer, Apparel to shape the future of its premium apparel. The role leads all aspects of design for women’s performance wear, while guiding the broader apparel portfolio with senior leadership.

Collaboration with product, sourcing, and development teams ensures brand-right, durable, market-ready solutions. You’ll translate line plans, drive fabric innovation, set fit standards, and deliver production-ready tech packs from concept through fittings.

Qualifications

• Over ten years of progressive apparel design experience across performance and branded apparel.
• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, Industrial Design, or related field.
• Deep expertise in fabrics, trims, garment construction, fit, and premium product execution.
• Experience setting seasonal design vision and strategy across a brand or portfolio.
• Ability to influence senior leaders with clear design rationale.
• Experience working with overseas vendors and global supply chains.
• Strong aesthetic sensibility with technical depth and attention to detail.
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Ability to travel internationally.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal design vision and creative strategy for performance and branded apparel.
• Define design roadmap with senior leadership and connect decisions to business priorities.
• Develop innovative designs focusing on fit, fabric, construction, and durability.
• Serve as internal expert for women’s performance apparel while guiding broader portfolio.
• Translate line plans and consumer insights into cohesive product solutions.
• Research market trends and inform a brand-right point of view.
• Own design intent, specs, color direction, and production-ready details.
• Collaborate with management, development, sourcing, and vendors to ensure manufacturability and cost targets.
• Guide fittings, product reviews, and refine end-use performance.
• Create detailed presentations and tech packs communicating design intent.

Skills

Apparel design leadership

Women’s performance apparel

Brand & consumer objectives

Concepting & product development

Fabric innovation & construction

Cross-functional collaboration

Adobe Creative Suite

Illustrator

Photoshop

PLM systems

Vendor & overseas partnerships

Design presentations & tech packs

Communication & presentation

International travel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design / Apparel Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Illustrator

Photoshop

PLM systems

Job description

At YETI, we believe that time spent outdoors matters more than ever and our gear can make that time extraordinary. When you work here, you’ll have the opportunity to create exceptional, meaningful work and problem solve with innovative team members by your side. Together, you’ll help our customers get the high‑quality gear they need to make the most of their adventures. We are BUILT FOR THE WILD.

About The Role

We’re looking for a Principal Designer, Apparel to help shape the future of YETI apparel. This Senior role is designed for a highly experienced design leader and subject matter expert who can translate brand, consumer, and business objectives into a cohesive apparel design vision that supports the long‑term success of the apparel function. Working with VP Product Creation, Apparel, you’ll design across apparel categories and genders, partnering closely with Product Management, Product Development, Sourcing, and senior leaders to bring premium apparel to market. While this role will contribute to the full YETI apparel portfolio, there is a primary responsibility to lead all aspects of design for women’s performance apparel, including creative direction, product concepting, fit, fabric innovation, construction, and design intent from early concept through fittings and production. This role requires strong judgment, deep apparel expertise, and the ability to solve complex and sometimes ambiguous product‑design challenges that may impact the broader apparel function. You will influence cross‑functional partners, provide design and process guidance, and help ensure YETI apparel is purpose‑built, brand‑right, commercially relevant, and built to last.

What You’ll Do

• Set the seasonal design vision and creative strategy across performance and branded apparel, aligning product direction to YETI brand standards, consumer needs, and business goals.
• Partner with senior leadership to define the apparel design roadmap, represent the design function in cross‑functional planning, and connect design decisions to broader functional priorities.
• Lead the development of innovative, marketable, and technically sound apparel designs across performance and branded categories, owning design direction from concept through production with an emphasis on fit, fabric innovation, construction, and durability.
• Serve as an internal design expert for women’s performance apparel while contributing specialized expertise across the broader apparel portfolio, including men’s, women’s, and kid’s categories as needed.
• Translate seasonal line plans, consumer insights, performance requirements, and market opportunities into cohesive product solutions that align with YETI’s assortment and brand strategy.
• Research market trends, emerging materials, competitive assortments, and consumer expectations, evaluating how those inputs should inform a disciplined, brand‑right point of view for YETI apparel.
• Own technical design intent, including fabric selection, trims, construction details, fit standards, color direction, and design specifications that support product quality and manufacturability.
• Independently determine the design approach for assigned categories and initiatives, developing practical solutions that are consistent with functional objectives and scalable as the apparel business grows.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Product Development, Sourcing, Merchandising, and vendor partners to ensure designs are manufacturable, cost‑aware, calendar‑aligned, and commercially viable.
• Guide the creation of detailed design presentations, tech packs, sketches, color direction, and specifications that clearly communicate design intent to cross‑functional and vendor partners.
• Lead fittings and product reviews, providing clear direction to refine fit, function, finish, construction, and end‑use performance.
• Provide process, design, and product guidance to cross‑functional partners and influence the work of others without requiring direct reporting authority.
• Identify opportunities to improve design processes, tools, and ways of working that increase quality, efficiency, consistency, and speed to market.

What You Bring

• Greater than ten (10) years of progressive apparel design experience across performance and branded apparel, with demonstrated expertise across men’s, women’s, and/or kid’s categories.
• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, Industrial Design, or a related field required.
• Deep expertise in apparel design, fabrics, trims, garment construction, fit, performance attributes, and premium product execution.
• Experience setting seasonal design vision and creative strategy across a brand, product portfolio, or complex apparel category.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and cross‑functional partners through clear design rationale, strong judgment, and practical recommendations.
• Proven ability to solve complex product‑design challenges, evaluate tradeoffs, and make decisions that balance consumer needs, brand standards, manufacturability, cost, calendar, and quality.
• Experience working closely with overseas vendors, global supply chain partners, and internal development teams from concept through production.
• Strong aesthetic sensibility paired with technical depth, practical problem solving, attention to detail, and a disciplined point of view.
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator and Photoshop; experience with PLM systems preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple styles, seasons, priorities, and cross‑functional inputs in a fast‑paced, calendar‑driven environment.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with comfort explaining design assumptions, methodologies, and product recommendations to senior leadership.
• Ability to travel internationally to global supply chain partners without assistance.

YETI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is at the center of everything we do for our employees. We embrace all applicants looking to bring their authentic selves to YETI and contribute to our mission of keeping the wild WILD. Find out more about our commitment to DE&I at yeti.com/esg.html. All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.

Pay Range: $136,400.00 - $170,500.00 Annual USD Employee pay will vary based on factors such as qualifications, experience, skill level, competencies and work location. We will meet minimum wage or minimum of the pay range (whichever is higher) based on city, county and state requirements.

YETI Applicant Privacy Notice YETI welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation in order to apply for a job, please contact us at [e-mail].

At YETI, we design products that last for generations, get you outside, and keep you there longer. If you're looking to take on big challenges and have a passion for keeping the wild, wild – let’s talk.