Free People Senior Designer - Jackets & Outerwear

Posted 3 Days Ago
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Philadelphia, PA, USA
In-Office
Senior level
Fashion • Retail
The Role
Design and develop jackets and outerwear from trend research and concept direction through technical setup, fittings, presentations, and production handoff. Create silhouettes, fabrics, washes, trims, artwork, and embellishments while balancing creative vision with commercial objectives. Partner with merchandising, technical design, production, sourcing, and vendors to ensure execution. Mentor junior designers and communicate concepts through sketches, digital tools, mock-ups, and presentation decks.
Summary Generated by Built In
Role Summary

Free People is seeking a Senior Designer – Jackets & Outerwear to help shape one of our most expressive and detail-driven categories.This role is for a designer with a strong fashion point of view, deep technical understanding of jackets and apparel construction, and the ability to translate concept into product that feels unmistakably Free People. We are looking for someone who can bring a feminine hand to jackets and outerwear while pushing the category to feel cool, modern, effortless, and emotionally compelling.The Senior Designer will play an active role in concept direction, monthly design development, fittings, technical setup, presentation, vendor communication, and cross-functional partnership, while also supporting and mentoring junior team members. This person should be equally excited by silhouette, construction, fabric, wash, trim, artwork, embellishment, and the small details that make a jacket feel special.At Free People, we design for the Free Spirit: smart, creative, confident, adventurous, romantic, tough, and entirely herself.

Role Responsibilities
  • Identify emerging fashion trends, and translate them into concept direction that feels relevant,aspirational, and brand-right for the Free People customer.
  • Develop monthly concept direction for Jackets & Outerwear, including silhouette, fabric, wash, trim,artwork, and embellishment ideas.
  • Create and communicate design ideas through sketching, digital tools, draped or sewn mock-ups,AI-assisted exploration when appropriate, and other visual communication methods.
  • Edit the assortment to create a thoughtful balance of ideas against the business lineplan, ensuringthe category has range, newness, emotional product, and commercial clarity.
  • Create compelling, presentation-ready digital decks on a monthly basis for design leadership, withan eye toward elevation, clarity, and efficiency.
  • Lead technical design setups with strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy across technicalsketches, BOMs, design packages, construction notes, pattern translation, and handoff to TechnicalDesign.
  • Attend fittings and contribute to fit, construction, proportion, and detail problem-solving throughoutthe development process.
  • Partner closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, andSourcing to ensure designs are creative, executable, and aligned with business objectives.
  • Mentor and guide junior team members through research, sketching, design development, packageexecution, technical accuracy, and day-to-day priorities.
  • Communicate ideas clearly and collaboratively in key meetings, inspiring confidence across Design,Merchandising, Production, and leadership partners.
  • Bring flexibility, curiosity, positivity, and a generous creative spirit to the team and the workWhat We’re Looking For:
  • A highly creative designer with a clear fashion point of view, strong taste level, and deepunderstanding of the Free People customer.
  • A balance of creativity and technical discipline, with the ability to move fluidly between concept,presentation, development, fittings, and execution.
  • Experience, taste, and a strong perspective on print, artwork, embroidery, beading, embellishment,and other surface details as they relate to apparel design.
Role Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion/Apparel Design preferred.
  • 9+ years of industry experience in Jackets, Wovens, Outerwear, Dresses, or a closely related apparelcategory strongly preferred.
  • Professional portfolio demonstrating creative vision, jacket/outerwear design ability, technicalunderstanding, and an aesthetic relevant to the Free People brand.
  • Fluency in digital design and presentation tools, including Adobe Creative Suite; experience withCAD, Procreate, AI-assisted design tools, PLM systems, or related apparel design platformspreferred.
  • Ability to sketch and communicate design ideas clearly through hand sketching, digital sketching,CAD, mock-ups, or other relevant visual tools.
  • Ability to work on-site 3–5 days per week at our World Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA.
The Perks

URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

EEO Statement

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Fashion or Apparel Design
  • 9+ years of industry experience in jackets, wovens, outerwear, dresses, or a closely related apparel category
  • Professional portfolio demonstrating creative vision, jacket or outerwear design ability, technical understanding, and brand-relevant aesthetic
  • Fluency in digital design and presentation tools, including Adobe Creative Suite
  • Ability to sketch and communicate design ideas through hand sketching, digital sketching, CAD, mock-ups, or similar visual tools
  • Ability to work on-site 3-5 days per week at the World Headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Experience with CAD, Procreate, AI-assisted design tools, PLM systems, or related apparel design platforms
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The Company
31,000 Employees
Year Founded: 1970

What We Do

Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) is a global consumer-brand portfolio comprising Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement, Anthropologie Weddings, Terrain, Menus & Venues, and Nuuly. The company creates unique retail experiences with a focus on creativity and pleasing customers. Its brands cultivate communities and provide inclusive platforms where customers, coworkers, partners, and followers can express themselves through creative expression and community.

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