Design Specialist

A well-established contemporary fashion brand looking for a highly skilled Freelance Senior Apparel Designer to lead design across Women’s Knits and Wovens.

Job Summary:

The Senior Apparel Designer will lead the seasonal design direction for Women’s Knits and Wovens, overseeing concept development, creative execution, and cross-functional collaboration from initial inspiration through final sample. This role works closely with Design, Product Development, Technical Design, Merchandising, and Production to deliver elevated, trend-right collections across multiple categories.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading seasonal concepts, including mood boards, trend research, color direction, and fabric inspiration

• Designing innovative and commercially relevant styles across tops, dresses, bottoms, outerwear, and additional categories

• Creating detailed hand sketches and digital CADs in Illustrator

• Building tech packs with complete specs, construction details, and BOMs

• Partnering with Product Development, Technical Design, and Production throughout proto, fit, and sample development

• Reviewing samples and providing clear comments to ensure design intent is maintained

• Assisting with fabric and trim sourcing and vendor communication

• Presenting collections to leadership and cross-functional partners

• Managing multiple categories and deadlines with strong organization and accuracy

• Providing occasional support and guidance to junior team members

Key Qualifications:

• 7 years of Women’s apparel design experience with strong expertise in both knits and wovens

• Background in contemporary or modern women’s apparel

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, PLM systems, and Microsoft Office

• Strong understanding of garment construction, patternmaking, textiles, and fit

• Highly developed sense of color, fabric, silhouette, and proportion

• Excellent communication, organization, and time-management skills

• Ability to work onsite daily in Culver City