Designer – Apparel & Accessories

Filson•Seattle, WA

17h•$95,000 - $128,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly creative, technically fluent Designer to support and drive design across apparel, luggage, bags, and accessories. This role blends deep respect for heritage with a modern, AI-enabled design process—supporting cross-functional teams with fast, expressive visual storytelling and disciplined, production-ready execution. This designer understands design history, manufacturing reality, and modern tools—and can move fluidly between all three.

Requirements

5+ years of design experience in apparel and/or accessories (bags and luggage experience strongly preferred)
Demonstrated proficiency with AI tools for ideation, illustration, and concept development
Strong technical foundation in materials, washes, finishes, and construction
Deep knowledge of fabric development, silhouettes, and form informed by fashion and design history (both apparel and bags)
Advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite, with strength in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign
Experience managing styles and workflows within PLM systems
Proven ability to work within manufacturing, cost, and margin constraints
Strong visual storytelling and communication skills
Collaborative, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented
Passion for heritage brands, outdoor culture, and product with purpose
Capable at hand renderings for quick concept reviews

Responsibilities

Design and develop apparel, bags, luggage, and accessories from concept through production
Use AI tools fluently to generate, iterate, and refine design concepts, illustrations, and visual narratives
Support cross-functional categories with AI-driven sketches, renderings, and concept visuals to accelerate alignment and decision-making
Manage styles within PLM, including creation and ongoing updates of tech packs, BOMs, measurements, and construction details
Partner closely with Product Development to ensure designs are executable—supporting PD with informed decisions around washes, finishes, materials, and construction techniques
Demonstrate strong understanding of garment and soft goods construction, including stitch types, seam finishes, reinforcements, and durability requirements
Confidently toggle between performance-driven materials (technical synthetics, coatings, laminations) and classic heritage materials (natural fibers, waxed fabrics, leathers, twills, wools)
Drive research & development in bags, luggage, and accessories—materials, hardware, finishes, and functional innovation
Speak fluent “factory talk”—able to collaborate directly with manufacturers and problem-solve within real production constraints
Design with sensitivity to manufacturing parameters, lead times, efficiency, and quality standards
Maintain awareness of cost and margin targets, balancing product integrity with commercial viability
Approach design with a franchise mindset, building cohesive product families that scale across seasons and categories
Stay deeply engaged in the market, fashion history, and cultural context—translating insights into relevant, durable product
Modernize Filson’s heritage with thoughtful, restrained, and functional design solutions