Senior Designer - Women's Denim

Madewell • New York, NY

1d • $97,600 - $126,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

At Madewell, we believe that great style starts with great design. Since 2006, we’ve been creating premium denim and foundational wardrobe pieces for men and women that balance quality, authenticity, and versatility. From iconic jeans perfected by denim experts to the essential tee, the most versatile shoe, and the timeless leather bag—if it’s Madewell, it’s made well. Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

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 of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell)
• Summer Fridays
• Community Impact through philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program
• Winter Break
• PTO package

What This Job Offers

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