Designer Performance Apparel

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a dynamic Performance Designer to join our Apparel / Softgoods team, working across Training and Running for both Men’s and Women’s. This role focuses on creating highly technical, performance-driven apparel and requires a deep passion for sport, product creation, and innovation, along with strong problem-solving skills, clear communication, and the ability to deliver against deadlines.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional communicator who can translate complex ideas—both visually and verbally—into focused, compelling design narratives. With a strong understanding of sport culture and performance-driven design, you will lead design efforts through outstanding craft, creativity, and technical rigor to deliver original, functional solutions that exceed expectations.

Through ongoing research, consumer connection, market awareness, and wear testing, you will anticipate future needs and emerging trends. You will translate insights into relevant, resonant product solutions aligned with business objectives, project goals, and long-term product vision. This role requires both big-picture thinking around product relevance, positioning, capsules, and collections, as well as obsessive attention to detail throughout the design and development process.

You are collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and an expert listener—passionate, knowledgeable, and relentlessly curious about creating meaningful performance apparel that embodies the athlete and elevates the brand.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

• Lead the Performance platform across Running and Training, delivering athlete-tested, consumer-ready product.
• Identify gaps and opportunities within the current product line and develop solutions aligned with consumer insights, emerging trends, and business objectives.
• Translate ideas into design concepts and silhouettes with deep consideration for fit, functionality, construction, and material systems.
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure aesthetic excellence and functional feasibility while meeting price points, merchandising needs, and deadlines.
• Collaborate with design leadership to refine product creation processes and identify opportunities to drive efficiency.
• Support company goals, product roadmaps, design direction, and seasonal narratives through strong design execution and project management.
• Partner with leadership to shape short- and long-term strategic vision.
• Present work internally and externally to senior leadership
• Contribute to building a shared brand language and design toolkit through deep research into sport, the athlete, culture, art, fashion, and personal creative perspective.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel or Fashion Design, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years of relevant apparel design experience, with required experience in performance apparel.
• Proven track record of commercialized performance products, with innovations successfully transitioned to downstream partners.
• Strong leadership presence, with the ability to guide design direction and influence cross-functional teams.

DESIGN, MATERIALS & TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

• Advanced knowledge of performance apparel manufacturing, including construction methods, technologies, silhouettes, fit, material integration, graphics, and finishes.
• Materials expertise, including performance attributes, weights, drape, fiber content, finishes, textile treatments, trims, and material science.
• Hands-on ability to elevate design through physical and digital prototyping, including iterative concept development and testing.
• Experience with wear testing and leveraging athlete and consumer insights to inform design decisions.

DESIGN THINKING, INNOVATION & PROBLEM-SOLVING

• Proven critical thinker with the ability to design through ambiguity and complex briefs to successful completion.
• Strong conceptual skills, including deep research, trend analysis, and exceptional visual judgment informed by global style and cultural awareness.
• Ability to maintain end-to-end design and strategic direction to ensure a consistent and compelling product vision.

COLLABORATION, LEADERSHIP & EXECUTION

• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize across short- and long-term initiatives of varying complexity.
• Experience proactively partnering across teams, facilitating effective meetings, and managing key design milestones and deliverables.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and creatively driven environment.
• Expert communication and presentation skills across a variety of formats, including presentations to senior leadership.

CULTURE, SPORT & PERSPECTIVE

• Strong knowledge of the performance apparel market, consumer, and trends.
• Demonstrated passion for trend, visual culture, and sport.
• Passion for and/or experience in running, swimming, weightlifting, cross-training, or related sports.

TOOLS & PORTFOLIO

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and comfort working in emerging digital spaces, including 3D and generative AI tools.
• Portfolio or work samples required, demonstrating insights, inspiration, creative thinking, process, aesthetics, and design rationale.