Urban Outfitters Designer - BDG Knits

Role Summary

Position Overview

Urban Outfitters is seeking a creative, highly motivated Designer to join the BDG Knits team, helping shape and evolve our casual knit assortment for the Gen Z customer.

The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of the BDG aesthetic—casual, washed and worn, vintage-inspired, borrowed from the boys, and effortlessly cool. This designer will balance commercial everyday essentials with fashion-forward, emotionally compelling product that brings newness and creativity to the assortment.

We are looking for someone with a distinct creative point of view, a strong eye for silhouette, proportion, fabric, wash, color, graphics, and construction, and the ability to translate seasonal concepts, vintage inspiration, and emerging cultural trends into relevant, desirable product.

This role requires a self-directed, collaborative designer who can independently own their categories, drive product development from concept through execution, and build strong cross-functional partnerships. Experience in casual woven apparel is a plus, bringing additional versatility and perspective to the BDG assortment.

Strong digital design skills are essential, along with the ability to embrace AI-supported creative tools to enhance design exploration, visualization, and efficiency

Role Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Creative Vision & Product Design

• Design and execute key areas of the BDG casual knits assortment, balancing commercial core essentials with fashion-forward silhouettes, novelty, craft, and graphic product.

• Partner with the Design Director to translate seasonal concepts into compelling product that reflects the BDG aesthetic and Urban Outfitters customer.

• Demonstrate a strong point of view on emerging trends, vintage inspiration, fabric, wash, color, silhouette, proportion, and construction.

• Identify opportunities to evolve successful core styles while introducing new silhouettes, fabrications, finishes, graphics, and design details.

• Own fabric development and seasonal material direction, including fabric innovation, wash techniques, stitch, trim, and construction.

• Maintain a strong connection to youth culture, vintage, fashion, art, and music to inform relevant and differentiated product.

Business Acumen & Product Execution

• Maintain a strong understanding of category performance, analyzing weekly selling, customer response, and market trends to identify product opportunities.

• Partner closely with Buying to align on assortment needs, white space opportunities, and real-time business reactions.

• Design balanced, compelling product that delivers on creative vision, quality, margin, and business objectives.

• Independently manage styles from initial concept through development, fittings, approvals, and finalization.

• Confidently conduct fittings and sample reviews, providing clear direction on fit, silhouette, fabric, wash, construction, and overall aesthetic.

• Ensure product is executed to design intent while maintaining quality, cost, and calendar expectations.

Creative Process & Digital Innovation

• Create strong digital sketches, CADs, concept boards, and presentation materials that clearly communicate product and assortment direction.

• Prepare and confidently present work during Sketch Reviews, Finalization, fittings, and other key seasonal milestones.

• Leverage AI creative tools, including Midjourney, ChatGPT, PromeAI, or similar platforms, to support concept development, design iteration, visualization, and presentations.

• Identify opportunities to improve design processes, increase efficiency, and streamline workflows without compromising creativity or product quality.

Collaboration & Ownership

• Build strong, productive partnerships across Design, Buying, Product Development, Print + Color, Technical Design, and Production.

• Independently manage multiple projects and seasonal deliverables, proactively communicating challenges and solutions.

• Demonstrate accountability, resourcefulness, and strong follow-through throughout the design and development process.

• Contribute to a positive, collaborative, and creatively ambitious team environment.

• Provide constructive feedback and support to junior team members as needed.

Role Qualifications

Qualifications

• 5+ years of apparel design experience, preferably in casual knits, cut-and-sew knits, jersey, fleece, or contemporary casual sportswear.

• Experience designing casual woven apparel is a plus.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating a distinct creative point of view, relevant casual product design, and an understanding of the Urban Outfitters customer.

• Strong understanding of vintage-inspired, washed, worn, and casual product aesthetics, with the ability to balance commercial essentials and directional fashion.

• Excellent eye for silhouette, proportion, fabric, wash, color, graphics, stitch, and construction detail.

• Demonstrated experience in fabric development, garment construction, fit, and sample execution.

• Strong hand and digital sketching skills with proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Creative Suite.

• Experience using AI-supported creative tools for design development and presentation, or a strong willingness to learn and adapt.

• Ability to independently conduct fittings, manage product development, and communicate clear, actionable design direction.

• Strong commercial awareness with an understanding of selling performance, margin, and cost considerations.

• Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Highly self-directed, proactive, and resourceful, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet key deadlines.

• Familiarity with Treadstone, BOM maintenance, and Microsoft Office is preferred.

• Passionate about fashion, vintage, youth culture, and continually evolving the BDG aesthetic.

Ideal Candidate

A creative and commercially minded designer who understands what makes BDG feel authentic, effortless, and relevant. Someone who can elevate everyday casual knits through thoughtful fabric, wash, proportion, and detail while bringing fresh ideas and a strong fashion point of view to the assortment.

This person is equally comfortable designing a successful core tee or fleece franchise as they are developing an unexpected, fashion-driven style—and has the initiative, curiosity, and ownership to bring both to life.

The Perks

URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

EEO Statement

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.