Free People Senior Designer - Jackets & Outerwear

Urban Outfitters•Philadelphia, PA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Free People is seeking a Senior Designer – Jackets & Outerwear to help shape one of our most expressive and detail-driven categories. This role is for a designer with a strong fashion point of view, deep technical understanding of jackets and apparel construction, and the ability to translate concept into product that feels unmistakably Free People. We are looking for someone who can bring a feminine hand to jackets and outerwear while pushing the category to feel cool, modern, effortless, and emotionally compelling. The Senior Designer will play an active role in concept direction, monthly design development, fittings, technical setup, presentation, vendor communication, and cross-functional partnership, while also supporting and mentoring junior team members. This person should be equally excited by silhouette, construction, fabric, wash, trim, artwork, embellishment, and the small details that make a jacket feel special. At Free People, we design for the Free Spirit: smart, creative, confident, adventurous, romantic, tough, and entirely herself.

Requirements

A highly creative designer with a clear fashion point of view, strong taste level, and deep understanding of the Free People customer.
A balance of creativity and technical discipline, with the ability to move fluidly between concept, presentation, development, fittings, and execution.
Experience, taste, and a strong perspective on print, artwork, embroidery, beading, embellishment, and other surface details as they relate to apparel design.
Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion/Apparel Design preferred.
9+ years of industry experience in Jackets, Wovens, Outerwear, Dresses, or a closely related apparel category strongly preferred.
Professional portfolio demonstrating creative vision, jacket/outerwear design ability, technical understanding, and an aesthetic relevant to the Free People brand.
Fluency in digital design and presentation tools, including Adobe Creative Suite; experience with CAD, Procreate, AI-assisted design tools, PLM systems, or related apparel design platforms preferred.
Ability to sketch and communicate design ideas clearly through hand sketching, digital sketching, CAD, mock-ups, or other relevant visual tools.
Ability to work on-site 3–5 days per week at our World Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA.

Responsibilities

Identify emerging fashion trends, and translate them into concept direction that feels relevant, aspirational, and brand-right for the Free People customer.
Develop monthly concept direction for Jackets & Outerwear, including silhouette, fabric, wash, trim, artwork, and embellishment ideas.
Create and communicate design ideas through sketching, digital tools, draped or sewn mock-ups, AI-assisted exploration when appropriate, and other visual communication methods.
Edit the assortment to create a thoughtful balance of ideas against the business lineplan, ensuring the category has range, newness, emotional product, and commercial clarity.
Create compelling, presentation-ready digital decks on a monthly basis for design leadership, with an eye toward elevation, clarity, and efficiency.
Lead technical design setups with strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy across technical sketches, BOMs, design packages, construction notes, pattern translation, and handoff to Technical Design.
Attend fittings and contribute to fit, construction, proportion, and detail problem-solving throughout the development process.
Partner closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, and Sourcing to ensure designs are creative, executable, and aligned with business objectives.
Mentor and guide junior team members through research, sketching, design development, package execution, technical accuracy, and day-to-day priorities.
Communicate ideas clearly and collaboratively in key meetings, inspiring confidence across Design, Merchandising, Production, and leadership partners.
Bring flexibility, curiosity, positivity, and a generous creative spirit to the team and the work.