FOOTWEAR DESIGNER

Description

The ideal candidate will report to the SVP of Design and demonstrates expertise and knowledge in footwear design concepts, practices, and procedures particularly in the contemporary women’s market. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish Design departmental goals. Candidate will have proven success in a footwear design environment or in a related field, and will partner closely with design-related divisions such as Production and R&D.

Duties:

• Participate actively in the design and launch of new lines from inception to completion
• Manage all technical aspects of the design process
• Use trend intelligence and possess a thorough understanding of current and historical business to design and execute desired vision
• Possess extensive knowledge of footwear construction and detailed technical spec sheets for prototypes
• Take an active role in fit sessions and product line reviews to ensure timely releases
• Conduct visual survey and conceptualization to establish better communication with team
• Evaluate all samples and correspond changes for development of footwear designs
• Maintain a strong knowledge of market trends and competition
• Lead the research and development of seasonal trends
• Collaborate with Marketing on development of new packaging, brand/label and trim needs
• Join forces with technical design team to establish block library
• Create original hand sketches of style groups based on concept/direction from SVP of Design
• Ensure original vision and fit expectations are maintained
• Develop and maintain good relationships with overseas vendors

Skills/Qualifications:

• Degree in fashion design, BFA preferred
• Minimum 5-7 years of footwear design experience in the contemporary women’s market
• Knowledge of footwear components and technical corrections, preferred knowledge of material sourcing
• Strong color, print, and texture sense to develop palettes for each collection
• Must have experience in freehand and flat design sketching
• Microsoft proficient, preferred knowledge of Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop
• Familiarity with the development process and working with factories and vendors
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment while maintaining a high level of quality and accuracy
• Ability to analyze work load and plan accordingly with exceptional follow-up skills
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally when required