Free People Associate Designer - Camis, Layering & Seamless

Free People•Philadelphia, PA

35d•Onsite

About The Position

Free People Intimates is seeking a creative and detail-oriented Associate Designer to join our Camis & Seamless team. In this role, you will be a key player in designing and developing private label products, supporting the end-to-end workflow from initial concept to final production. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams and market vendors to deliver thoughtful designs that hit key deliverables while upholding brand standards. Our camis line emphasizes "worn-to-be-seen" layering pieces across cut-and-sew knits, wovens, and lace, while our seamless line focuses on tubular knit technology—both capturing the signature Free People aesthetic through texture and yarn exploration in fashion forward silhouettes. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, possesses a strong creative point of view, and is highly self-motivated, and has excellent communication skills. We are looking for an Associate designer who can translate global trends into compelling products, design into target costs and execution constraints, and protect overall product integrity without sacrificing vision. This role will report into the Senior Designer.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and 3+ years of relevant industry experience in a fashion apparel brand preferred.
Expertise in soft wovens and/or cut-and-sew knits is required; experience in tubular (seamless) knitting is a plus but not a requirement.
Technical knowledge of garment construction, fit, and the specific characteristics of knit and woven fabrications.
Proficiency in draping, mocking, and sewing is essential for this role.
Strpng hand and and computer sketching/CAD skills utilizing Photoshop, and Procreate.
Experience with generative AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, PromeAI, Gemini AI) for creating original design ideas is a plus.
Highly organized self-starter with a strong sense of urgency and the ability to manage multiple project deadlines simultaneously and meet deliverables.
Excellent communication skills and the agility to respond to new business objectives in a fast-paced environment.
Upbeat, positive attitude with a proactive approach to collaborative teamwork.
Proficient in Microsoft and Google platforms (Excel, PowerPoint, Slides, Sheets).
Elevated taste level with a keen eye for print, color, trend, and detail, and the ability to translate trends for the Free People customer.
Ability to work in-office 5 days a week.

Nice To Haves

experience in tubular (seamless) knitting is a plus but not a requirement.
Experience with generative AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, PromeAI, Gemini AI) for creating original design ideas is a plus.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the design process by researching trends and utilizing AI platforms (such as Midjourney/ Prome/ Gemini Ai) to execute original designs that support seasonal line plan needs and being able to translate those ideas into technical sketch form to communicate construction details to tech design as well as market vendors in clear tech packs.
Support monthly retail presentations and seasonal wholesale presentations by bringing key ideas to life through hands-on sewing, draping, mocking, and postproduction CADing for the proto review stage.
Research and report on industry trend direction for silhouette and fabric innovations that resonate with the Free People customer and proactively collaborate with your cross functional partners and market vendors on sourcing raw materials that can be used for upcoming seasons.
Maintain and update key meeting sheets and line sheets to ensure accurate information is shared with cross-functional partners and ensure product continues to move forward.
Manage daily communication with cross-functional teams and market vendors regarding sourcing and development status to ensure product remains on track with the design timeline, as well as communicate any changes with appropriate team members to ensure there are no communication gaps throughout the product development stages.
Select and communicate trim colors and artwork colorways that feel unique and align with seasonal palettes, updating BOMs accordingly. Creating color CADs to provide Design’s vision to Buyers when necessary.
Proactively ensure all sourcing and trim components are finalized and organized prior to key milestone meetings, keeping Senior Designer in the loop along the way.
Partner with cross functional partners to track product development and manage sample intake for meetings and sample hand offs.
Build and maintain accurate spec sheets and Bills of Materials (BOMs) for all private label and market developments, updating them immediately as changes occur.
Execute comprehensive design packs, including fabric placement charts, trim color cards, embroidery/embellishment layouts, and detailed tech packs at the initial development stage.
Oversee trim, wash, and artwork approvals, ensuring all submissions and TOP (Top of Production) samples meet brand quality standards, color standards, and original design intent, checking in with Senior Designer prior to passing off comments.
Attend fittings and process comments through detailed fit notes cross-referencing original intent to ensure samples meet intention specifications.
Build complete tech packs, spec sheets for all market seamless developments and communicating fit changes directly with market vendors.
Maintain a structured and efficient design workspace to support daily studio operations and maintain an organized archive of bought samples.