Senior Designer / Product Development

Location: Midtown Manhattan, NY
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: Based on Experience
Portfolio Required
Fitness and/or Accessories Experience Preferred

Position Overview

A fashion-forward fitness and accessories company is seeking an experienced Senior Designer / Product Development professional to join its growing team.

This hands-on role combines creative design, product development, trend research, factory communication, and collaboration with sales teams and retail buyers. The Senior Designer will help develop trend-driven yoga, fitness, accessories, and women's lifestyle products from initial concept through sampling and final production.

The ideal candidate has an exceptional eye for design, a strong understanding of current fashion and consumer trends, and the ability to transform creative ideas and buyer requests into commercially viable, retail-ready products.

Key Responsibilities Design & Trend Development

• Research emerging fashion, fitness, lifestyle, color, print, and accessories trends.
• Translate market and trend research into fresh, commercially viable product concepts.
• Design fashion-forward yoga, fitness, accessories, and women's lifestyle products.
• Develop original prints, patterns, graphics, colorways, and product concepts.
• Create CADs, line sheets, presentations, and detailed product specifications.
• Balance creativity and trend direction with the commercial needs of retailers and consumers.
• Maintain a strong understanding of competitors, market trends, and evolving customer preferences.

Product Development

• Manage products from initial concept through sampling and production.
• Prepare detailed specifications and factory-ready artwork.
• Communicate directly with factories regarding designs, materials, construction, specifications, revisions, and development requirements.
• Review samples and provide clear comments and revisions.
• Approve samples based on design intent, quality, color, materials, construction, and overall execution.
• Track multiple products through different stages of the development process.
• Maintain organized product information, specifications, artwork, and development timelines.

Sales & Buyer Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Sales Division and retail buyers to understand customer needs and market opportunities.
• Translate buyer requests and feedback into new product concepts and design revisions.
• Develop products tailored to specific retailers, customers, and market opportunities.
• Create line sheets, presentations, and visual materials for buyer meetings.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure products meet both creative and commercial objectives.
• Respond quickly to new opportunities and changing customer requirements.

Packaging & Creative Support

• Assist with packaging design and development as needed.
• Support product photography and visual presentation.
• Perform image editing and photo retouching using Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Develop creative assets for marketing, sales presentations, and other business needs.
• Contribute creative copy and product messaging when needed.
• Support digital and e-commerce initiatives as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Professional experience in design and product development, preferably within fitness, accessories, fashion, or women's lifestyle products.
• Strong portfolio required, demonstrating excellent design sensibility and relevant product-development work.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience creating prints, CADs, line sheets, technical specifications, and factory-ready artwork.
• Experience communicating with overseas factories and managing product development and sample approvals.
• Strong understanding of product construction, materials, color, print, and production processes.
• Packaging design experience preferred.
• Product photography and photo-retouching experience preferred.
• Creative copywriting abilities are a plus.
• Experience with Shopify, Klaviyo, and social media platforms is a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality work.
• Highly organized and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proactive, motivated, and comfortable taking ownership of projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a small team.
• Strong understanding of current fashion, fitness, lifestyle, and consumer trends.