Technical Designer

Fortune Swimwear LLC; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortune Swimwear LLC in Downtown Los Angeles is seeking a Technical Designer to manage the technical development process from concept through production for swimwear and coverups.

The ideal candidate has at least five years in technical design for private-label apparel, extensive swimwear experience, and proven ability to lead fit sessions, coordinate with overseas factories, patternmakers and cross-functional teams to ensure fit, construction and quality.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of technical design experience in apparel manufacturing.
• Extensive experience with swimwear, coverups and related categories.
• Experience with overseas factories and patternmakers.
• Experience leading fit sessions and managing multiple development calendars.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage technical development from concept through production for assigned accounts.
• Lead garment fittings with cross-functional teams and ensure fit and construction.
• Develop and maintain technical packages with POMs, measurement specs, and BOMs.
• Ensure manufacturability and quality meet standards across development stages.
• Collaborate with Design, Production, Patternmaking, and factories to communicate technical comments.

Skills

Garment Construction

Fit Evaluation

Patternmaking Principles

Grading

Manufacturing Processes

Communication

Project Management

Attention to Detail

Problem Solving

Independence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Technical Design, Apparel Manufacturing, or related field

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Microsoft Office Suite

PLM systems

Job description

Position Title: Technical Designer – Swimwear & Coverups

Department: Technical Design

Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California

Job Type: Full-Time, In-Office

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Technical Design

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Position Summary

The Technical Designer is responsible for managing the technical development process from concept through production for assigned brand accounts. This is an active, highly communicative technical role that requires the Technical Designer to provide clear, informed recommendations to internal teams, account partners, patternmakers, buyers, and overseas factories while bringing technical expertise into each stage of development and guiding fit and construction decisions.

This position reports to the Director of Technical Design and requires strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to independently manage multiple development calendars while following established technical design processes and protocols. The Technical Designer is responsible for ensuring fit, construction, pattern execution, grading, manufacturability, and overall product quality meet company and customer standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the technical development process for assigned accounts from initial development through production approval, ensuring fit approvals and production milestones align with customer development calendars.
• Develop and maintain accurate technical packages prior to production release, including points of measure (POMs), measurement specifications, grade rules, patterns, construction details, bill of materials (BOMs), technical sketches, and related documentation.
• Lead garment fittings with fit models, patternmakers, account partners and internal cross-functional teams, evaluating garment fit, functionality, and overall construction.
• Identify technical issues and provide clear, practical recommendations to improve fit, construction, quality, manufacturability and production efficiency.
• Serve as the technical resource for Design, Production, Patternmaking, Account Management and overseas factories, ensuring technical comments are communicated clearly and professionally throughout development.
• Collaborate with patternmakers to achieve proper garment fit while maintaining design intent and approved standards.
• Review development, fit, pre-production (PP), top-of-production (TOP), and production samples for consistency with approved standards, assisting with production-related troubleshooting and corrective actions as needed.
• Support the development and approval of molded cups, underwires, elastics, trims, closures and other swimwear-specific components.
• Maintain organized records of fit history, approvals, samples, trims, development notes and technical documentation.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings to support product development, production readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives while staying current with industry trends, garment construction techniques, manufacturing processes and customer requirements.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Technical Design, Apparel Manufacturing, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.

Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of technical design experience in private-label apparel manufacturing.
• Extensive experience with women's swimwear, coverups, activewear, and men's swimwear, including boardshorts.
• Experience working with major retailers such as Walmart, Target, or similar national accounts preferred.
• Experience working directly with overseas factories and patternmakers.
• Experience leading fit sessions and managing multiple development calendars.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of garment construction, fit analysis, grading, patternmaking principles, textile performance, fabric behavior, garment engineering and manufacturing processes.
• Thorough understanding of swimwear construction techniques, including molded cups, underwires, elastics, specialized trims and other swim-specific components.
• Ability to interpret design intent while balancing fit, construction, manufacturability, production efficiency, and customer requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships with internal teams, customers, vendors, and overseas factories.
• Strong organizational, follow-up and project management skills, with attention to detail and the ability to prioritize multiple projects while meeting deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving, judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and adapt quickly in a fast-paced product development environment.

Computer Skills

• Adobe Illustrator
• Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams
• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems
• Full-time, in-office position located in Downtown Los Angeles.
• Fast-paced product development environment with multiple seasonal calendars and deadlines.
• Frequent collaboration with cross-functional teams, customers, and overseas manufacturing partners.
• Occasional overtime may be required to meet business demands.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to stand during garment fittings and product reviews.
• Ability to lift and carry sample garments, fabric, and cartons weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to travel occasionally to customer meetings, factory visits, trade shows, or fit sessions, if required.
• Ability to perform repetitive hand movements while measuring garments and reviewing samples.

Core Competencies

• Technical Expertise
• Fit Evaluation
• Garment Construction Knowledge
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Accountability
• Organization
• Time Management
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Focus
• Decision Making

Other Duties

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Management reserves the right to assign or modify job duties as business needs require.

Fortune Swimwear LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all employees.