Associate Fashion Designer
The Pulse Boutique | Women’s Apparel
Newton, Iowa
About Us
We are a fast-moving women’s fashion e-commerce brand serving a loyal customer who loves feminine, wearable and trend-forward fashion. As we continue to expand our exclusive product assortment, we’re looking for someone with a strong eye for product who can help us create pieces that feel new, special and unmistakably us.
You’ll work closely with a small, collaborative product team, including our Buyer, Visual Merchandiser and Company Owners, who are actively involved in product and creative direction. Because we are a small team, you’ll have meaningful involvement in the products we create and the opportunity to see your ideas move from concept to customer quickly.
Primary Purpose
Develop original apparel ideas specifically for The Pulse Boutique’s customer and translate trends into wearable, commercially viable products.
Job Summary
The Pulse Boutique is looking for a commercially minded Associate Fashion Designer to develop fresh, feminine and wearable apparel for our customer. This role will focus on trend research, original product concepts, CAD development, color and print direction, and refinement of products from initial idea through final sample. The ideal candidate combines strong fashion instincts with an understanding of how to create products that are distinctive, attainable and commercially successful.
Key Responsibilities
● Research fashion, color, print, fabrication and silhouette trends.
● Develop seasonal concepts, color direction, design/mood boards and original product
ideas to present to the buying team
● Create sketches, CADs, colorways, prints and graphics using adobe illustrator or
photoshop
● Design primarily into tops, sweaters, light outerwear and swim.
● Translate trend inspiration into products that feel fresh, feminine, wearable and
commercially relevant to our target customer.
● Evolve already successful products through fabrication, proportion, construction, color
and design details without simply repeating them.
● Work directly with Pulse’s Owners, Buyer and Visual Merchandiser to address
assortment and customer needs.
● Balance creativity with target retail price, margin, production feasibility, minimums and
wearability.
● Handle sample communication with factory partners to take samples from initial concept
to production ready [including approving lab dips, strike off’s etc]
● Create and maintain complete, factory-ready apparel tech packs.
● Review sales results and customer feedback to understand what is resonating and why.
● Participate in fittings and hands-on sample reviews and collection meetings
● Manage multiple projects, seasonal assortments and deadlines in a fast paced
environment
● Evaluate fabric handfeel, drape, stretch, recovery, weight, texture and overall suitability
for the intended garment.
● Understand how changes in fabrication can impact fit, silhouette, construction and
overall product quality.
● Source or recommend alternative fabrications when the original material is not achieving
the intended design.
● Physically evaluate garments to identify issues with fit, proportion, construction,
fabrication and design execution.
● Make recommendations for adjustments needed to improve the garment’s appearance,
fit, quality, comfort and wearability.
How This Role Works With the Team
The Pulse operates with a small, highly collaborative team, which means this role will have much more exposure to the full product process than it might at a larger retailer. Our size means your work won't disappear into layers of departments and approvals. You’ll have a voice in creative conversations, work directly with the people making product decisions and see firsthand how customers respond to the products you help create.
The Associate Fashion Designer communicates clear concepts, CADs, tech packs and design direction directly to the factory, then remains responsible for the garment as it moves from initial sampling to final approval.
Ideal Qualifications
● Degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design or a related field preferred.
● Approximately 2-4 years of apparel design experience.
● Strong Adobe Illustrator skills and the ability to create clear CADs and technical flats.
● Strong understanding of color, print, silhouette, proportion and garment construction.
● Commercial fashion sense and a strong instinct for The Pulse Boutique’s customers.
● Ability to take inspiration from trends without copying existing products.
● Organized, collaborative and receptive to feedback throughout product development.
● Ability to evaluate fabric handfeel, drape, weight, stretch and recovery and understand
how those properties affect a finished garment.
● Familiarity with 3D apparel software is a plus; advanced 3D garment building is not
required for this role.
To Apply
Please submit your resume and portfolio to [email protected]. We would
especially like to see:
● Apparel CADs, print designs or sketches
● Examples of completed apparel tech packs
● Completed garments, developed samples or commercially produced product
● Examples showing your process from inspiration and initial design through development
and finished product
This is an in-person position at 1503 N 13th Ave E, Newton, Iowa.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
Education:
Experience:
- Fashion design: 2 years (Required)
Language:
Work Location: In person
