Women's Swim & Apparel Designer

ROLE SUMMARY

The prominent surf brand Women’s Swim and Apparel Designer is responsible for the creative development and execution of seasonal swimwear and apparel collections that are relevant to the modern female consumer and aligned with the brand’s creative direction.

This role combines a strong understanding of women’s fashion, surf and swim culture, and technical swimwear construction with an instinct for emerging trends, new silhouettes, and commercial product opportunities. The Designer is expected to be highly engaged in the marketplace through regular shopping, competitive research, and trend analysis, translating these insights into fresh swim silhouettes, innovative fits, fabrications, prints, colors, and styling.

The Designer works closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, Graphics/Prints, and vendors to take product from initial concept through final sample and production approval while maintaining design integrity, fit, quality, and commercial relevance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND JOB DUTIES

1. Market Shopping & Trend Research

• Market Shopping: Regularly shop swimwear, fashion, surf, action sports, activewear, and contemporary retailers to identify emerging trends and product opportunities.
• Trend Research: Research current and emerging trends in swimwear, fashion, color, print, fabrication, styling, and consumer behavior.
• Competitive Analysis: Analyze competitive swim brands, including silhouettes, fit, construction, fabrication, pricing, prints, color, and merchandising.
• Consumer Insight: Develop a strong understanding of how women are shopping for and wearing swimwear across beach, resort, travel, active, and lifestyle environments.
• Trend Translation: Identify meaningful trends and translate them into commercially relevant product while maintaining a distinct brand point of view.
• Cultural Awareness: Stay connected to surf, beach, fashion, music, art, and broader cultural influences that inform the target consumer.

2. Swim Silhouette & Fit Development

• Silhouette Development: Create new and differentiated swim silhouettes across bikinis, one-pieces, separates, and other swim categories.
• Body Proportion: Explore new proportions, coverage levels, strap configurations, leg openings, waistlines, necklines, and garment shapes to create modern swim product.
• Fit Direction: Establish clear design and fit intent for each silhouette and communicate direction to Technical Design and Product Development.
• Female Body Understanding: Design with a strong understanding of the female body, including how swim fabrics, construction, support, coverage, and tension affect fit and appearance.
• Innovation: Challenge existing swim silhouettes and identify opportunities to introduce new shapes, construction details, functionality, and styling.
• Fit Consistency: Ensure silhouettes maintain their intended proportions and visual impact throughout the fitting and development process.
• Collection Balance: Build a balanced assortment of core, commercial, fashion-forward, and statement swim silhouettes.

3. Seasonal Collection & Concept Development

• Develop seasonal women’s swim collections that reflect the brand’s identity, consumer, and seasonal direction.
• Create seasonal mood boards, concept presentations, color stories, silhouette direction, and product narratives.
• Develop original swimwear designs through sketches, CADs, technical flats, colorways, and presentation materials.
• Create cohesive collections across bikini tops, bikini bottoms, one-pieces, and relevant swim-related product.
• Develop complementary resort and lifestyle opportunities where appropriate to the seasonal collection.
• Ensure each collection delivers meaningful newness while maintaining recognizable brand DNA.

4. Fabric, Color & Material Development

• Research and select swim-specific fabrics based on stretch, recovery, hand feel, coverage, durability, performance, and aesthetic requirements.
• Develop seasonal color palettes informed by market trends, competitive research, and brand direction.
• Research and develop new fabrications, textures, finishes, washes, and surface treatments.
• Work with Product Development and vendors to develop and refine swim fabrics and construction techniques.
• Review and approve lab dips, fabric submissions, strike-offs, and production qualities.
• Ensure fabric selection supports the intended silhouette, fit, functionality, and target price.

5. Print, Pattern & Surface Design

• Develop seasonal print direction and collaborate with Graphic and Textile Design teams on original prints and patterns.
• Research print trends, vintage references, artwork, cultural influences, and competitive direction.
• Develop placement prints, engineered prints, all-over patterns, textures, and other surface treatments appropriate to swimwear.
• Provide direction on scale, placement, color, and application of prints.
• Review strike-offs and print submissions to ensure accurate execution of the intended design.
• Create cohesive print stories that work across the seasonal swim assortment.

6. Product Development & Technical Execution

• Create detailed CADs and technical packages communicating silhouette, construction, materials, color, print, trims, and finishing.
• Develop accurate tech packs for swimwear styles and maintain design information throughout the development process.
• Partner with Product Development and Technical Design to translate creative concepts into production-ready swimwear.
• Participate in fittings and evaluate fit, proportion, coverage, support, construction, and overall appearance on the body.
• Review prototypes and samples and provide clear, detailed comments and revisions.
• Work with Technical Design and vendors to resolve fit and construction issues while maintaining design intent.
• Review final samples and ensure approved silhouettes, colors, prints, fabrics, and details are accurately executed.

7. Swim Construction & Product Innovation

• Maintain strong knowledge of swimwear construction, including stretch fabrics, linings, elastics, binding, straps, closures, hardware, cups, support, and finishing techniques.
• Research innovative construction techniques and swim-specific product solutions.
• Develop new details and construction approaches that improve fit, function, comfort, and visual appeal.
• Identify opportunities to incorporate performance, versatility, and functionality into swim product without compromising design.
• Work with Development and Technical Design to evaluate construction options and production feasibility.

8. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Merchandising to understand seasonal business objectives, category strategy, consumer needs, pricing, and assortment direction.
• Collaborate with Product Development and Technical Design throughout the design and fitting process.
• Work closely with Graphic and Textile Design on prints, patterns, artwork, and surface treatments.
• Communicate design intent clearly to domestic and overseas vendors.
• Participate in line reviews, fittings, sample reviews, and seasonal presentations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to resolve design, fit, fabrication, costing, and production challenges.

9. Commercial & Calendar Accountability

• Manage assigned design responsibilities within the seasonal development calendar.
• Deliver concepts, CADs, tech packs, samples, and approvals according to established deadlines.
• Design within established target costs and retail price points while maintaining design integrity.
• Balance trend-driven product with proven commercial silhouettes and core swim programs.
• Monitor competitive pricing and product offerings to ensure the collection remains relevant in the marketplace.
• Proactively identify opportunities and communicate issues that could impact the seasonal collection or development timeline.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

1. Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, or related field preferred.
• 3-5+ years of professional women’s swimwear design experience preferred.
• Experience in surf, swim, resort, activewear, contemporary, or lifestyle apparel strongly preferred.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating women’s swimwear design, silhouette development, fit, color, print, and fabrication.
• Experience taking product from initial concept through final production.

2. Swimwear Design Expertise

• Strong understanding of women’s swimwear construction, fit, proportion, and fabrication.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new swim silhouettes and modernize existing shapes.
• Strong understanding of stretch fabrics, lining, elastics, support, coverage, hardware, straps, and swim-specific construction.
• Strong understanding of how swimwear fits and performs on the female body.
• Ability to balance fashion, function, comfort, and commercial appeal.

3. Market & Trend Expertise

• Strong understanding of current women’s swimwear and fashion trends.
• Demonstrated passion for shopping and firsthand observation of the marketplace.
• Strong competitive awareness across swim, surf, activewear, contemporary, and lifestyle brands.
• Ability to identify emerging trends in silhouette, proportion, color, print, fabrication, and styling.
• Strong understanding of the female consumer and evolving swimwear preferences.

4. Technical & Design Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong CAD and technical drawing skills.
• Ability to create detailed, production-ready swimwear tech packs.
• Strong understanding of garment construction and technical product development.
• Experience with PLM or other product development systems preferred.
• Knowledge of textile and print development preferred.

5. Communication & Collaboration

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to clearly communicate creative and technical design direction.
• Strong collaborative skills with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, Graphics, and vendors.
• Ability to present seasonal concepts and confidently communicate design rationale.
• Ability to respond to feedback and make informed decisions while protecting design intent.

6. Organization & Execution

• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple styles, categories, and seasonal deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple projects within a fast-paced product development environment.
• Self-directed and proactive in identifying opportunities and resolving product challenges.
• Comfortable working with shifting priorities and tight development calendars.

7. Industry Knowledge

• Strong passion for women’s swimwear, surf, fashion, and beach culture.
• Deep understanding of the female consumer and current swimwear market.
• Strong awareness of competitive swim and lifestyle brands and the broader retail landscape.
• Knowledge of sustainable swim fabrics, innovative materials, and emerging construction technologies is a plus.