Associate Designer - Betsey Johnson Apparel

Who We Are:

Steve Madden is a global fashion company known for its innovative, trend-driven footwear, accessories, and apparel. Founded in 1990 in Queens, New York, the company has grown from a footwear startup into a globally recognized fashion organization with a portfolio of leading brands, including Steve Madden, Kurt Geiger London, Dolce Vita, Betsey Johnson, Carvela, Blondo, and ATM.

With a presence in more than 80 countries, Steve Madden operates across wholesale, retail, e-commerce, licensing, and private label businesses. The company is driven by creativity, individuality, and a fast-paced entrepreneurial spirit, bringing fashion-forward products to consumers around the world.

General Summary:

We are looking for a highly organized, creative, and technically skilled Associate Designer / Design Tech to join the Betsey Johnson Ready-to-Wear team. This role sits at the intersection of creative design and technical product development, supporting the Design team from initial concept through final production. The ideal candidate has a strong fashion eye and understands the unique Betsey Johnson DNA, while also being highly proficient in garment construction, specifications, fit, tech packs, and factory communication.

This person will work closely with the Senior Designer and design team to help translate creative concepts into well-executed, commercially viable product while maintaining the playful, feminine, rebellious spirit of Betsey Johnson. This position is based in NYC with 4 days in office, 1 day from home.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of Betsey Johnson Ready-to-Wear
• Create and update CADs, technical sketches, and detailed tech packs throughout the development process.
• Translate creative design direction into technically accurate, production-ready garments.
• Build and maintain tech packs, ensuring all specifications, construction details, trims, fabrications, embellishments, garment finishes, and artwork information is current and accurate.
• Review development samples against approved CADs, specs, artwork, fabrics, and design intent.
• Identify potential construction or execution issues early and recommend solutions that maintain the original creative vision.
• Assist with seasonal CAD updates, colorways, line sheets, presentation boards, and showroom preparation.
• Support print, pattern, embroidery, embellishment, wash, and novelty development as needed.
• Track samples and development updates to help ensure deadlines and key milestones are met.
• Maintain strong organization across multiple styles and deliveries in a fast-paced environment.
• Help ensure that every product feels unmistakably Betsey—fun, feminine, irreverent, unexpected, and full of personality.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of experience in women's apparel design, technical design, or a hybrid design/technical role.
• Degree in Fashion Design or related field preferred.
• Strong knowledge of women's garment construction, fit, patternmaking principles, specifications, and manufacturing.
• Experience creating and maintaining detailed tech packs in Excel
• Excellent technical sketching and CAD skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; 
• Strong understanding of woven and knit apparel construction; experience with dresses and fashion-driven products is especially valuable.
• Strong eye for proportion, silhouette, detail, color, print, and overall styling.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and working within a fast-moving development calendar.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly when communicating technical information to factories and cross-functional partners.
• Collaborative, proactive, solution-oriented, and excited to work within a highly creative brand environment.

The Ideal Candidate

You are equal parts creative and technical. You love fashion and understand that the smallest details can completely change a garment. You can look at an inspiration image or sketch, understand the designer's intent, and help figure out how to make it real. Most importantly, you understand that Betsey Johnson isn't about making ordinary clothes. You appreciate the brand's history, humor, femininity, sexiness, irreverence, and fearless approach to fashion and you want to help bring that energy to the next generation of Betsey Johnson Ready-to-Wear.

The expected base salary for this position ranges from $60,000-70,000. Ranges are based on various factors such as relevant skillset, training, years of experience related to the current job description, education, and our organizational structure. In addition to the base salary, Steve Madden offers a competitive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, 401K, paid holidays, a generous paid time-off policy, and career opportunities within a dynamic team.