Senior Designer - Women's Denim

Madewell • New York, NY

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Designer of Women’s 5-Pocket Denim leads seasonal product design execution of the Women’s 5-Pocket Denim program to achieve overall creative and business objectives. This role is responsible for driving fit, silhouette, fabric, wash, and detail development across the core and fashion 5-pocket assortment—including missy, curvy, and plus fits—while supporting the Sr. Design Director in delivering a cohesive, brand-right collection each season. Operating on a six-month cycle, this person will manage two seasonal calendars simultaneously (e.g., Fall and Holiday) across core washes and any new five-pocket fits. The core 5-pocket assortment sets the tone for the Madewell brand and carries the longest on-site and in-store life, making authentic, compelling wash and fit execution central to this role. The Sr. Designer will mentor a small team of junior designers and collaborate cross-functionally to uphold Madewell’s design integrity from concept through production.

Requirements

• 8+ years of apparel design experience with a focus on Women’s denim, including 5-pocket development, wash, and fabric.
• Working knowledge of garment construction, denim fabrication, fit development, and wash/finishing techniques; experience working in PLM and creating BOMs.
• Strong illustration and presentation skills; proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, and Excel; ability to hand illustrate to convey proportion and shape.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, coach, and develop junior team members; exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple seasonal calendars simultaneously; strong communication and written skills with excellent follow-through.
• Proven ability to research and apply market and fashion trend information with a deep, specific knowledge of the 5-pocket denim competitive landscape; demonstrated ability to work independently and deliver within seasonal roadmap and deadline requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Deep appreciation for and understanding of the Madewell brand aesthetic, its customer, and the role of 5-pocket denim within the broader assortment.
• Experience working across both vintage-inspired and contemporary denim reference points, with a clear point of view on wash, treatment, and color; BA in Fashion Design or related field a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal design of the Women’s 5-Pocket Denim assortment across missy, curvy, and plus fits, developing styles with a clear point of view on fit, silhouette, fabric, wash, and branding details; oversee core 5-pocket styles as well as any new five-pocket fits introduced to the line.
• Collaborate with Merchandising, Production, and Technical Design to achieve product execution and maintain design integrity from first proto through adoption.
• Research seasonal trends, themes, color, raw materials, and styling to inform assortment direction; maintain a strong awareness of what competitors are doing in 5-pocket denim; identify new silhouettes, fabrics, washes, and unique details including embroidery, print, stripe, yarn dye, and garment dye treatments; build and maintain whisker pattern and wash libraries to support consistent core execution.
• Create design cards for first protos, including measurements and construction details (typically 3x1 construction); conduct fittings and approve lab dips and fabric/denim submits; develop and counter source fabric and trim with production and suppliers; manage BOMs and product data in PLM; partner closely with Merchandising to track deliveries and maintain up-to-date line sheets, incorporating any in-season updates.
• Manage and mentor a small team of junior designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing creative environment; travel domestically and internationally on a seasonal basis as needed.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance
• Family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support)
• Fitness discounts
• Medical travel
• Associate discount across all brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell)
• Summer Fridays (office closes at 1:00 PM every Friday during Summer months)
• Community Impact support through philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program
• Winter Break (end of December for eligible full-time associates at the Home Office)
• PTO package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree