Free People Associate Designer Wovens

Urban Outfitters • Philadelphia, PA

78d

About The Position

Free People is seeking an Associate Designer, who will play a key role in supporting the design process from initial concept through final production. This role will work closely with the Assistant Design Director and Design Manager to help bring our collections to life. It's an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about fashion and eager to contribute to the ongoing development of Free People's woven tops category. The Associate Designer for Woven Tops will actively participate in the creation of seasonal collections, including sewing or mocking up original ideas for key design meetings. They will also assist the design team with various tasks throughout the development process. The woven tops category at Free People includes a wide range of fabrications-from soft to structured wovens-and explores multiple aesthetics within our brand identity. A successful candidate will have a strong understanding of woven fabrications, including base materials and construction. Most importantly, they will be passionate about designing woven tops and bringing innovative ideas to the table. This includes pushing boundaries in silhouette, detail, print, and embellishment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design with related field experience.
• Between 3-6 years experience in women's apparel.
• Strong sense and understanding of Fashion Trends and how it could translate to the Free People customer.
• Excellent technical, hand sketching and CAD skills in Procreate, Photoshop, Illustrator.
• Ability to drape, mock and sewing skills are a must.
• Knowledge of garment construction is key.
• Strong sense of organizational skills as well as passionate of fast speed environment.
• Self-starter with the ability to function independently as well as in a team-based environment.
• Great attention to detail and understanding of sense of urgency and deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft platforms (Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Outlook).

Nice To Haves

• Ai knowledge/experience would be a plus!
• Experience with AI platforms such as MidJourney, PromeAi, etc.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the creation, development, and execution of own brand product appropriate for Free People.
• Assist in creating product that represents the unique style of the Free People customer within our Collection woven tops range.
• Recognize and accurately forecast fashion and cultural trends and understand how they relate to the Free People customer.
• Collaborate, brainstorm, and present monthly trend direction and ideas for your category alongside the Assistant Design Director.
• Execute specific design development projects as assigned by the Assistant Design Director and Design manager.
• Contribute to the design process including sketching new ideas with the help of procreate or/and Adobe Illustrator programs.
• Research new trends and ideas as well as utilize AI platforms to increase creative research.
• Complete technical sketches for monthly design packages and manage all sketch updates for all of your designs.
• Support with trim sourcing, BOM updates and help the team as needed during the development process.
• Manage development and execution of all design development packages and participate in all follow-up communication of all design packages related to each style in partnership with the Design Coordinator & Product Development team.
• Communicate fit and construction details to cross-functional partners by managing weekly fit notes recap.
• Maintain an active role in the weekly Design Flow Meetings.
• Participate in research and report on industry trend direction, color direction, and fabric innovations.
• Execute original design ideas through draped & sewn mocks as well as hand sketches.
• Help support seasonal development calendar for both Retail & Whls deliveries across wovens category.
• Collaborate closely and proactively with wider design team to help prepare upcoming meetings to help achieve design deadlines.
• Thrive in a fast-paced environment, constantly pushing new ideas, concepts as well as agility to respond to new business objectives.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• PTO
• Generous employee discounts
• Retirement savings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees