Senior Activewear Designer and Technical Development Lead

Senior Activewear Designer & Technical Development Lead

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Salary: $120,000–$150,000 per year, depending on experience

About the CompanyWe are an emerging athleisure wear brand focused on creating premium, innovative, stylish, and functional apparel that combines modern design with exceptional fit, comfort, quality, and performance.As we continue to develop our brand and expand our product collections, we are building our presence through direct to consumer channels and select retail partnerships. We are seeking a talented and experienced Senior Activewear Designer & Technical Development Lead to play a key role in shaping our collections and bringing our creative vision to life.This is an exciting opportunity for a fashion professional who combines strong creative instincts with in-depth technical knowledge of garment construction, fabrics, fit, and manufacturing. The ideal candidate can take an idea from concept and initial design through technical development, sampling, fit approval, and final production.

Position OverviewThe Senior Activewear Designer & Technical Development Lead will oversee the creative design and technical development of our athleisure collections, ensuring that each product meets our standards for aesthetics, functionality, comfort, fit, durability, and quality. Working closely with company leadership, manufacturers, suppliers, and other creative partners, this individual will help shape the brand's visual identity, develop new product concepts, and ensure that designs are commercially viable and production-ready.The successful candidate will be highly creative, technically proficient, detail-oriented, and comfortable taking ownership of projects from initial concept through final manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Design & Collection Development

• Develop original designs and concepts for premium athleisure collections, including activewear, leggings, sports bras, tops, jackets, joggers, shorts, and other complementary apparel.
• Translate the brand's vision, aesthetic, and target market into cohesive seasonal collections and individual product designs.
• Research fashion trends, emerging silhouettes, colors, materials, finishes, and competitor offerings to identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation.
• Create mood boards, color palettes, design concepts, sketches, and visual presentations to communicate creative direction.
• Develop new styles, refine existing products, and contribute ideas for expanding the brand's product range.
• Ensure consistency in design language, quality, and brand identity across all collections.
• Collaborate with leadership on product direction, collection planning, and the overall creative vision.

Technical Design & Garment Development

• Develop detailed technical specifications, technical drawings, and tech packs for each garment.
• Establish garment measurements, grading specifications, construction details, stitching requirements, trims, labels, finishes, and material specifications.
• Select appropriate fabrics and components based on stretch, recovery, compression, breathability, moisture management, durability, opacity, and overall performance.
• Evaluate fabric blends, textile weights, construction methods, and finishing techniques suitable for premium athleisure apparel.
• Review prototypes and samples, conduct fit evaluations, identify construction issues, and provide precise corrections to manufacturers.
• Lead fit sessions and manage sample revisions to ensure garments meet approved specifications before production.
• Establish and maintain size charts, measurement tolerances, grading standards, and fit consistency across the collection.
• Identify and resolve issues involving garment fit, fabric performance, construction quality, shrinkage, color consistency, and production feasibility.
• Ensure garments are functional, comfortable, durable, and visually consistent with approved designs.

Sampling, Manufacturing & Quality Control

• Work directly with domestic and international manufacturers, patternmakers, fabric mills, and suppliers throughout the product development process.
• Communicate technical requirements clearly and ensure manufacturers understand approved designs, specifications, and construction standards.
• Manage the development process from initial concept and prototype through sampling, revisions, pre-production approval, and bulk production.
• Review production samples and identify discrepancies between approved samples and finished products.
• Establish quality-control standards and help implement procedures for maintaining consistency across manufacturing runs.
• Monitor development timelines, sample approvals, material availability, and production milestones.
• Recommend improvements to garment construction, fabric selection, and manufacturing processes to improve quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Help source new materials, trims, and manufacturing partners as the brand grows.

Brand Development & Collaboration

• Work closely with company leadership to align product development with the brand's commercial objectives and long-term growth strategy.
• Consider customer expectations, price positioning, marketability, and direct-to-consumer sales when developing new products.
• Collaborate with marketing and creative teams on product imagery, styling direction, and the visual presentation of collections when needed.
• Maintain organized product-development files, technical documentation, samples, and design records.
• Help establish scalable design and technical-development processes that support growth across direct to consumer channels and select retail partnerships.
• Stay informed about relevant apparel regulations, textile labeling requirements, and applicable product quality and safety standards.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in fashion design, activewear design, apparel technical design, garment technology, or product development.
• Demonstrated experience designing and developing apparel, preferably within the athleisure, activewear, sportswear, or premium lifestyle apparel sectors.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, patternmaking principles, grading, fit, fabric performance, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven ability to develop technical drawings, detailed tech packs, measurement specifications, and production-ready documentation.
• Experience managing garment samples, fit sessions, revisions, and pre-production approvals.
• Strong knowledge of stretch fabrics, performance textiles, compression garments, and materials commonly used in activewear.
• Experience working directly with garment factories, manufacturers, suppliers, and patternmakers.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and relevant fashion design or technical design software.
• Strong visual design skills and the ability to translate creative concepts into commercially viable products.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and work independently in a fast-paced, growing business.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating both creative design ability and technical apparel development experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience launching or scaling an emerging fashion or athleisure brand.
• Experience working with overseas manufacturers and international supply chains.
• Familiarity with digital patternmaking, 3D garment visualization, or apparel development platforms such as CLO 3D.
• Experience with cost analysis, fabric sourcing, product costing, and production planning.
• Experience developing cohesive collections for direct-to-consumer brands and select retail partners.
• A strong understanding of premium apparel positioning and international fashion trends.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is equally comfortable developing a new garment concept and resolving the technical details required to manufacture it successfully.The ideal candidate is creative, commercially minded, technically knowledgeable, and proactive. They take pride in their work, understand the importance of exceptional fit and quality, and can turn ideas into finished products that customers want to wear.We value individuals who take ownership, bring fresh ideas to the table, communicate effectively with manufacturers, and want to contribute meaningfully to the growth of an ambitious apparel brand.

Compensation & Employment

• Competitive annual salary of $120,000–$150,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Full-time, on-site position based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
• Opportunity to play a meaningful role in developing and growing an emerging athleisure brand.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a portfolio showcasing relevant apparel design, technical design, garment development, and product development work. Applicants should highlight their experience with athleisure or performance apparel, technical specifications, fit development, and manufacturing.We look forward to meeting candidates who can combine creative vision with technical expertise to help build our next generation of apparel collections.

Pay: $120,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person