Footwear Designer

DNAM Brands is a family-owned and operated company that owns and licenses a portfolio of globally recognized fashion and lifestyle brands, including Von Dutch, Ed Hardy, Valentino Orlandi, Allbirds, Badgley Mischka, and more.

We're looking for a Footwear Designer to join our growing design team. You'll take styles from concept through to production-ready specs, working closely with product development, merchandising and overseas factories. This role suits someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, thinks in materials and construction, and has a strong instinct for what's next on the shelf and on the street.

Responsibilities

• Design both men and women’s footwear across multiple brands.
• Involvement throughout the production process, from the initial concept through final sample approval, aligning with brand DNA and merchandising direction.
• Create detailed tech packs including material callouts, colorways, construction notes, and measurements
• Own the process from first proto through TOP approval, ensuring consistency and alignment with brand standards
• Document feedback clearly, and issue detailed, production-ready corrections to factories
• Ensure timely sample turnaround by anticipating production risks and communicating daily with factories
• Partner cross-functionally with Design and Production to balance aesthetic intent with manufacturability and cost efficiency
• Manage multiple projects against the seasonal calendar and keep deliverables on track
• Maintain organized, up-to-date technical files to support seamless development-to-bulk transitions

Qualifications

• 2+ years of footwear design experience in fashion, lifestyle, or athletic categories
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and familiarity with 3D tools
• Strong portfolio showing range across casual, fashion, and/or performance footwear
• Deep knowledge of footwear construction, lasts, materials, and manufacturing processes
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage several brands or projects at once
• Experience working with overseas factories and a clear understanding of costing and production timelines
• Excellent hand-sketching and communication skills; comfortable presenting ideas and taking direction