Sr. Technical Designer-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.

About the Opportunity

We’re looking for a Senior Technical Designer to join our Wholesale Apparel team and play a key role in bringing fashion-forward product from concept to production. This is a hands-on opportunity for a highly experienced technical designer who has a strong eye for fit, proportion, construction, and quality, and knows how to turn creative vision into beautifully executed product. This position reports to our Technical Design Director.

As a key partner to Design and our overseas manufacturing teams, you’ll own the technical design process from initial development through pre-production approval. You’ll have a direct impact on how product fits, looks, and performs, while helping ensure the final product is both true to the design vision and optimized for production.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-paced, collaborative fashion environment where your technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and eye for detail will make a visible impact. This position is based onsite in our NYC office.

What You’ll Do

• Own the Technical Design Process: Manage the technical design lifecycle from initial development through pre-production approval, ensuring product meets fit, quality, construction, and design expectations.
• Bring Designs to Life: Partner closely with Designers to understand the creative vision and fit intent, translating concepts into detailed technical specification packages and production-ready product.
• Drive Fit & Quality: Conduct fit sessions on live models, evaluating balance, proportion, construction, and overall fit. Provide thoughtful recommendations and translate feedback into clear, actionable fit comments.
• Be the Technical Expert: Analyze samples for specifications, pattern, construction, and workmanship, identifying opportunities to improve fit, quality, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate Globally: Work closely with overseas factories and manufacturing partners, clearly communicating fit and construction corrections through detailed written comments, photographs, diagrams, and pattern corrections.
• Solve Problems Before They Happen: Proactively identify and resolve technical, production, quality, and costing challenges throughout the development process.
• Keep Product Moving: Manage multiple styles, projects, and deadlines simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and ensuring key milestones stay on track.
• Build Strong Partnerships: Develop productive relationships with Design, Production, Merchandising, overseas factories, and other cross-functional partners.
• Manage Daily Communication: Serve as a key point of contact for technical design correspondence with overseas manufacturing partners.
• Make an Impact: Bring a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset to the team and contribute to special projects and initiatives as needed.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of Technical Design experience, preferably within the Better/Contemporary market or fashion-forward apparel.
• Deep expertise in garment construction, fit, pattern-making, and tailoring.
• A highly developed eye for fit, styling, proportion, and overall product execution.
• Strong ability to translate a Designer’s creative vision into technically sound, production-ready product.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with both internal teams and overseas partners.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across Design, Production, Merchandising, and manufacturing.
• Exceptional organization and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• A proactive, self-motivated approach with strong problem-solving skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven fashion environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Illustrator.

Why This Role?

This is more than a technical execution role, you’ll be a key voice in the product development process, partnering with creative and global teams to ensure every style delivers on fit, quality, construction, and design intent. If you’re a technical designer who loves the combination of fashion, fit, craftsmanship, and problem-solving and wants to see your expertise directly influence product, we’d love to meet you.

The expected base salary for this position ranges from $100,000-$120,000. 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.