Designer

Apparel Designer

Location: San Francisco, hybrid

Salary Range $80,000 - $105,000

Associate / Senior Associate

Marine Layer designs and manufactures its own line of casual apparel. We have 55 of our own stores (and counting) across the country, along with a thriving ecommerce and wholesale business. Our success has been built on a small, hard-working team that has a lot of fun and passionately believes in what we are building. We’ve managed to transition from a start-up into a recognized brand by staying true to our roots and thoughtfully expanding the team with some incredibly talented (and fun) people who want to help us build something special. That’s where you come in…

At Marine Layer our commitment to being a positive impact on our communities and planet is at the core of our mission as a B Corporation. We embed social and environmental responsibility into our operations, including employee training focused on these issues and managerial roles that explicitly address performance in these areas.

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced Women’s product designer that brings great taste and apparel experience to join our team and bolster our wovens business. This role owns product development from concept to technical execution with heavy cross-collaboration with our internal teams and external partners.

Scope

Design & Concept Development

• Conceptualize and create compelling, brand right product for all Seasonal Deliveries.
• Rework and refresh core silhouettes by introducing new styles, fabrics, finishes, and elevated details while maintaining Marine Layer's brand DNA.
• Contribute to the expansion of Woven Dressing as a strategic growth category within Marine Layer's women's offering.
• Partner with the Design Director to develop seasonal concepts, sketches, and presentation materials that communicate design intent.

Trend Research & Market Translation

• Research and translate seasonal trends, vintage, raw materials, and styling into commercial designs suited for scale.

Materials & Sourcing

• Approval of lab dips and fabric/yarn submits.
• Develop and counter source fabric and trim in partnership with our internal materials team and external suppliers.

Fit & Technical Development

• Works closely with Tech Design on fit intent and execute fit consistency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to problem solve fit, fabrication, construction, and finish challenges.
• Works closely with Tech Design, Patternmakers and Sample Room to coordinate in-house design development.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Product Execution

• Partner with Merchandising and Product Development to align design decisions with consumer needs, assortment strategies, cost targets, and timelines.
• Collaborate with Merchandising, Production, and Technical Design to achieve product execution and maintain design integrity.
• Partner with PD on the status of styles in development daily to ensure product execution meets design specifications and are on track in style development process.

Vendor & Factory Management

• Communicate with vendor and factories on design development.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing women's soft woven’s categories.
• Knowledge of woven construction, fabrications, and trims.
• Design approach grounded in craft, fit, and detail, paired with curiosity about modern silhouettes and styling.
• Comfort designing within commercial and operational constraints while still introducing newness.
• Fluency in working in PLM environments
• High taste level and creative ability
• Working knowledge of garment construction, textiles, and pattern/fit.
• Strong illustration and presentation skills
• Proven ability to research and apply market/fashion trend information
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Detail oriented, good follow through
• Strong organizational, communication, and written skills
• Proficient in Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, and Excel
• BA Fashion Design
• Entrepreneurial attitude to design
• Must have strong sense of color and color theory knowledge
• Ability to work under pressure in an environment of constant shifting priorities and change

Perks

• Competitive pay and potential for equity compensation
• Flexible time off
• Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance available
• 401k with Matching
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Parental Leave
• Wellness Allowance
• Cell Phone Reimbursement

TO APPLY

Check out our website and shoot [email protected] your resume, portfolio, and a thoughtful email on why you’re our next designer. Cover letters are for the birds…

Marine Layer is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applicants and employees of all genders, races, backgrounds, orientations, and nationalities.

Guess we’ve made it big …

We heard someone out there is using fake job offers from us for a phishing scam. Wishing them bad vibes, but also wanted to share a few tips on how to stay safe.

1. We keep it direct when it comes to recruitment: our hiring communications will always come from a @marinelayer.com account
2. Double check the email address: most hiring messages come from either [email protected] or [email protected]
3. If someone’s asking you to buy supplies for your first day, it’s not us. (We’d hook you up with that)
4. We will never ask for personal information before onboarding. Keep that to yourself.

Just follow these four steps, watch out for sketchy links, and you too can ruin a scammer’s day.