Urban Outfitters Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director – Kimchi Blue, Women's Apparel

Company: Urban Outfitters

Location: Philadelphia, PA, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Fashion Design & Creative Leadership

Date Posted: November 3, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the creative vision and seasonal design direction for Kimchi Blue, a key feminine, expressive, and fashion-forward women's apparel brand within Urban Outfitters.

• Drive innovation in silhouette, fabrication, print, and styling, translating emerging trends and cultural influences into commercially successful product assortments for both Day and Night Out dressing.

• Oversee and inspire a high-performing design team, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and accountability to elevate the brand's identity and deliver compelling, relevant fashion.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners including Buying, Product Development, and Production to ensure design integrity, quality, fit, and timely execution from concept through to final product.

• Analyze market trends, sales data, and customer behavior to inform strategic design decisions, identify growth opportunities, and maintain brand differentiation within the competitive contemporary fashion landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the provided listing is for a fashion design role, it has been enhanced with an operations-centric lens where applicable, focusing on the strategic, analytical, and cross-functional execution aspects crucial to GTM (Go-To-Market) operations within a retail environment. This includes emphasizing business acumen, assortment strategy, and process efficiency, which are key to successful product lifecycle management and market penetration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Creative Vision & Brand Direction: Define and execute a compelling seasonal design vision for Kimchi Blue, establishing a distinct, recognizable feminine fashion identity that resonates with the Gen Z customer.

• Assortment Strategy & Product Innovation: Own the development of balanced, trend-right seasonal assortments, driving newness across key categories while ensuring clear product differentiation between Day and Night Out offerings.

• Customer Connection & Business Acumen: Maintain a deep understanding of the Kimchi Blue customer, analyzing sales data, sell-through, and competitive trends to inform assortment strategies and product decisions for commercial success.

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing design team, establishing a culture of creativity, curiosity, and accountability to elevate design execution and individual performance.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Execution: Partner closely with Buying, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, and Concept/Print/Color teams to execute the seasonal vision, ensuring design integrity, quality, fit, and commercial viability.

• Drive innovation in silhouette, proportion, fabrication, print, texture, embellishment, and styling to deliver fresh, differentiated assortments that balance romantic design codes with modern styling.

• Build compelling seasonal stories that connect individual styles through outfitting, color, fabric, and design details, enhancing the overall customer shopping experience.

• Identify opportunities to evolve key items and introduce new product franchises that strengthen Kimchi Blue's market position within the Urban Outfitters assortment.

• Confidently present seasonal direction, product strategies, and creative concepts to senior leadership, articulating the commercial and brand rationale behind design decisions.

• Regularly shop and analyze aspirational, contemporary, vintage, and competitive brands to identify relevant product and styling opportunities, informing strategic planning.

• Proactively respond to business performance metrics while maintaining a forward-looking creative vision and strategic market approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been framed to highlight the strategic planning, market analysis, and cross-functional alignment required for a design leadership role that significantly impacts Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy. Emphasis is placed on translating creative vision into actionable product strategies that drive commercial success and brand growth.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Merchandising, or a related field is typically expected for a Design Director role.

Experience:

• 10–12+ years of women's apparel design experience, with a significant portion in leadership and team management roles.

• Strong background in trend-driven, contemporary, or fashion-forward women's apparel, with demonstrated expertise in feminine Day and Night Out dressing.

• Proven ability to translate trends and creative inspiration into cohesive, commercially successful assortments, demonstrating strong business acumen. Required Skills:

• Distinctive Creative Vision: An elevated, feminine, trend-forward design perspective with the ability to evolve and maintain the Kimchi Blue brand identity.

• Fashion & Cultural Instinct: Exceptional awareness of emerging trends, youth culture (specifically Gen Z), and fashion influences shaping the contemporary fashion landscape.

• Product Innovation: Ability to push silhouette, fabrication, proportion, and design details to create compelling, differentiated product assortments.

• Commercial Creativity: Skill in balancing fashion authority and creative risk-taking with customer relevance and proven business performance.

• Assortment Strategy: Expertise in developing balanced, trend-right seasonal assortments that address key customer needs and business priorities.

• Fabric & Material Expertise: Extensive knowledge of feminine fabrications (lace, sheers, novelty knits, wovens) and special treatments relevant to Day and Night Out dressing.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to build strong partnerships with Buying, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, and Merchandising teams.

• Leadership & Team Development: Experience leading, inspiring, and developing creative talent, fostering a culture of ownership and high performance.

• Trend Forecasting & Market Analysis: Ability to analyze sales data, sell-through, customer response, and competitive trends to inform design direction.

• Adobe Creative Suite & Microsoft Office: Proficiency in digital design tools and standard office software.

• PLM Systems: Familiarity with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, including Treadstone and BOM management, for efficient product development tracking.

Preferred Skills:

• AI-Enabled Creative Tools: Familiarity with AI tools like Midjourney, PromeAI, and ChatGPT for design exploration and presentation enhancement.

• Hand & Digital Sketching: Advanced ability to clearly communicate design intent through sketches.

• Fit & Garment Construction Expertise: Expert knowledge of women's apparel construction, fit, draping, and garment development processes.

• Retail & Fashion Cycles: Deep understanding of the retail calendar, seasonal planning, and the fast-paced nature of fashion design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The skills section has been enhanced to include specific tools and methodologies relevant to modern design and GTM operations, such as AI tools for creative exploration and PLM systems for efficient product lifecycle management. The emphasis on commercial creativity and business acumen reflects the operational demands of a leadership role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio demonstrating originality, fashion relevance, silhouette innovation, and a distinctive creative point of view for feminine, fashion-forward women's apparel.

• Evidence of translating trends, cultural influences, and vintage references into commercially successful and relevant product designs, particularly for Day and Night Out categories.

• Case studies or examples showcasing the development of cohesive seasonal assortments, including cohesive outfitting strategies, print/color stories, and unique design details.

• Documentation of leadership experience, outlining how you've inspired and developed design teams, set creative direction, and managed cross-functional collaborations.

• Examples of how you've analyzed market trends, sales data, and customer behavior to inform design decisions and drive business growth. Process Documentation:

• Showcase understanding of the end-to-end product development process, from initial concept and trend forecasting through to sample review, fittings, and final production.

• Include examples of how you've managed design calendars, prioritized projects, and ensured timely delivery of creative assets and product milestones.

• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with Product Development, Technical Design, and Production teams to ensure design integrity, quality, fit, and cost objectives are met.

• Illustrate your approach to leading fittings and providing constructive feedback to ensure accurate execution of design intent.

• Highlight any experience in process improvement initiatives within a design or product development workflow to enhance speed, efficiency, or quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements emphasize demonstrating not just creative output but also strategic thinking, analytical skills, and process management capabilities, aligning with the operational demands of a design leadership role within a fast-paced retail environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Design Director with 10-12+ years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Philadelphia, the estimated annual salary range for this role is between $150,000 and $200,000. This estimate considers the seniority of the position, the creative and strategic responsibilities, and the cost of living in Philadelphia.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Includes Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous paid time off for rest and rejuvenation.

• Employee Discounts: Significant discounts on Urban Outfitters products and other URBN brands.

• Retirement Savings: Opportunities to save for the future with retirement savings plans.

• Professional Development: Access to resources and opportunities for career growth and skill enhancement.

• Potential for Performance Bonuses: Depending on company and individual performance metrics.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility often required to meet seasonal deadlines and project demands. This is an on-site role, requiring regular presence in the Philadelphia office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is estimated based on industry standards for a Design Director role in a major US city with a high cost of living, considering the specified experience level and leadership scope. Benefits are detailed based on typical offerings for a large retail organization.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Apparel & Retail, with a strong focus on lifestyle brands catering to young adults and the Gen Z demographic. Urban Outfitters operates within a fast-paced, trend-driven market.

Company Size: Urban Outfitters is part of URBN, a large, publicly traded global company with thousands of employees, operating multiple distinct brands. This offers both the resources of a large corporation and the agility to maintain brand-specific cultures.

Founded: Urban Outfitters was founded in 1970, establishing a long history of catering to youth culture and evolving fashion trends.

Team Structure:

• The Design Director will be a key leader within the Women's Design leadership team at Urban Outfitters.

• This role will likely manage a team of designers, assistant designers, and potentially interns, reporting to a higher-level design executive (e.g., VP of Design or Creative Director).

• Collaboration is essential, with daily interaction expected with Buying, Product Development, Technical Design, Production, and Creative teams (Concept, Print, Color). Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: The role emphasizes balancing a strong creative vision with data analysis (sales, sell-through, customer response) to ensure commercial viability and strategic alignment.

• Trend Integration: A core methodology involves translating runway, street style, social culture, and vintage influences into original, relevant product for the Gen Z customer.

• Collaborative Workflow: Emphasis on cross-functional partnerships to ensure seamless execution from concept to production, with clear communication and shared ownership of milestones.

• Continuous Improvement: Encouragement to identify opportunities for process optimization to enhance speed and efficiency in the product development cycle.

Company Website: www.urbanoutfitters.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context has been expanded to highlight the operational implications of working within a large retail organization, emphasizing the interplay between creative vision, market analysis, and cross-functional execution critical for GTM success.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position within the creative and product development function. As a Design Director, you are responsible for a significant brand segment (Kimchi Blue), leading a team, shaping brand identity, and directly influencing product strategy and commercial outcomes. It sits at the intersection of creative direction and operational execution.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director will report to a senior executive within the Women's Apparel division, likely a VP of Design or Creative Director. They will, in turn, manage and mentor a team of designers. This structure allows for strategic oversight from above and tactical execution by the team.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is profound, directly influencing product assortment, brand perception, and ultimately, revenue. By defining the creative vision and ensuring commercially relevant product is brought to market effectively, this role drives customer engagement, sales performance, and brand equity for Kimchi Blue within the broader Urban Outfitters portfolio. Strategic decisions regarding trend adoption, product innovation, and assortment balance have direct operational and financial consequences.

Growth Opportunities:

• Expanded Brand Responsibility: Potential to oversee additional brands or product categories within Urban Outfitters.

• Senior Creative Leadership: Advancement to roles such as VP of Design, Creative Director, or Head of Design for broader divisions.

• Strategic Influence: Increased involvement in overarching GTM strategies, brand positioning, and long-term creative planning for Urban Outfitters.

• Mentorship & Development: Opportunity to shape the next generation of fashion designers and creative leaders within the company.

• Cross-Departmental Mobility: Potential to move into related strategic roles within merchandising, brand management, or product development leadership, leveraging design expertise in a broader operational context.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section frames the role within a broader career and operational context, emphasizing the strategic impact and growth potential for an individual who can effectively blend creative leadership with business acumen and GTM execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role located at the Urban Outfitters Home Office in Philadelphia, PA. The environment is likely dynamic, creative, and collaborative, characteristic of a fashion retail headquarters.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Philadelphia, PA, at the URBN headquarters. This location serves as the hub for design, merchandising, marketing, and corporate functions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to foster cross-functional collaboration, with designers working closely with buyers, product developers, and marketing teams.

• Creative Resources: Access to trend forecasting resources, fabric libraries, sample rooms, and digital design tools is integral to the workspace.

• Inspiration Immersion: The location in a major city provides proximity to cultural events, shopping, and artistic influences that can inspire the design team.

• Fast-Paced Atmosphere: Expect a dynamic, deadline-driven environment typical of the fashion retail industry, requiring adaptability and proactive problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While typically a 40-hour work week, the demands of fashion cycles, seasonal launches, and critical deadlines may require extended hours and weekend work at certain times. The role requires consistent on-site presence for team collaboration and operational workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the work environment emphasizes the operational realities of a fashion headquarters, including the collaborative nature, resource availability, and pace required for successful GTM execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will review applications and resumes for core qualifications and experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager (likely a senior design executive) to assess creative vision, leadership style, and cultural fit. This is where your understanding of the Kimchi Blue brand and Gen Z customer will be crucial.

• Portfolio Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their design portfolio. This should clearly articulate their creative point of view, design process, commercial acumen, and leadership capabilities. Be prepared to discuss specific projects, challenges, and outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Buying, Product Development, and potentially Marketing or Merchandising to evaluate collaboration skills and understanding of the broader business context.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: A meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership philosophy, and overall fit with the company's direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your expertise in feminine, fashion-forward women's apparel, Day and Night Out dressing, and Gen Z trends.

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your design process, from concept generation and trend research to product development and assortment planning. Include sketches, mood boards, fabric selections, and final product examples.

• Highlight Commercial Success: Where possible, include data or insights demonstrating the commercial performance or market impact of your designs. Quantify achievements whenever feasible.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Include examples of how you've led teams, mentored designers, and collaborated effectively with cross-functional partners.

• Tell a Story: Frame your portfolio as a narrative that highlights your evolving creative vision, problem-solving skills, and ability to drive brand growth.

• Tailor to Kimchi Blue: Emphasize how your aesthetic, trend intuition, and understanding of the Gen Z customer align specifically with the Kimchi Blue brand ethos.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design challenges or case studies that require you to interpret a trend, develop a mini-collection, or propose an assortment strategy for Kimchi Blue.

• Practice articulating your creative rationale, commercial considerations, and execution plan concisely and persuasively.

• Anticipate questions about identifying white space opportunities, balancing newness with commercial drivers, and managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview and portfolio review section is detailed to provide actionable advice for operations-minded candidates, focusing on demonstrating strategic thinking, commercial impact, and process proficiency alongside creative talent.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Software:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for digital sketching, illustration, and graphic design (Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Microsoft Office Suite: For presentations, documentation, and general productivity (PowerPoint, Excel, Word).

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM):

• Treadstone: Explicitly mentioned as a required PLM system. Proficiency in managing Bills of Materials (BOMs), tracking product development stages, and maintaining design data within a PLM system is crucial.

• Other PLM Systems: Familiarity with general PLM principles and other industry-standard systems is beneficial.

Emerging Creative Technologies:

• AI-Enabled Creative Tools: Familiarity with tools like Midjourney, PromeAI, and ChatGPT is preferred, indicating a forward-thinking approach to design exploration, concept generation, and presentation enhancement.

Data Analysis & Reporting Tools:

• Excel: For analyzing sales data, tracking sell-through, and compiling reports.

• PLM Reporting Features: Utilizing built-in reporting capabilities within PLM systems for product development metrics.

Collaboration & Communication Tools:

• Email & Messaging Platforms: Standard corporate tools for communication.

• Presentation Software: For delivering seasonal direction and creative concepts to leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools and technology stack are crucial for operations roles. This section highlights not just design software but also the critical PLM systems for product lifecycle management and emerging AI tools, emphasizing efficiency and innovation in the design workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creative Vision & Innovation: A core value is pushing creative boundaries and driving newness in product and aesthetic, balanced with commercial relevance.

• Customer Centricity: A deep understanding and focus on the Gen Z customer, her evolving needs, and cultural influences are paramount.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Strong emphasis on working effectively across departments (Buying, Product Development, Production) to achieve shared goals and ensure successful product execution.

• Accountability & Ownership: Designers are expected to take ownership of their categories, drive results, and deliver on seasonal objectives with a high degree of professionalism.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While creativity leads, decisions are informed by sales performance, market analysis, and customer feedback, promoting a strategic approach.

• Efficiency & Speed: In the fast-paced fashion industry, valuing efficient processes and timely execution to meet market demands is critical.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: A highly integrated approach where design works hand-in-hand with Buying, Product Development, and Production from concept to final product. Regular meetings, reviews, and feedback loops are expected.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: An environment where feedback is given and received constructively to elevate product quality, fit, and design integrity.

• Shared Goal Orientation: The team works towards common objectives related to seasonal assortments, sales targets, and brand positioning, fostering a sense of collective responsibility.

• Proactive Communication: Encouraging open and proactive communication regarding progress, potential risks, and opportunities to ensure alignment and smooth workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the company's implicit values through an operational lens, highlighting how creative principles translate into actionable work behaviors and collaborative processes essential for GTM success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Trend & Commercial Viability: The constant challenge of identifying and interpreting emerging trends for the Gen Z customer while ensuring designs are commercially viable and align with the Kimchi Blue brand's established aesthetic and price points.

• Maintaining Brand Identity Amidst Rapid Change: Evolving the feminine, romantic, and individualistic Kimchi Blue aesthetic to remain fresh and relevant to Gen Z without alienating the core customer or becoming overly junior.

• Pace of the Fashion Cycle: Navigating the demanding, fast-paced nature of the fashion industry, requiring efficient workflow management, rapid decision-making, and adaptability to shifting trends and business priorities.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment across multiple departments (Buying, Product Development, Production, Marketing) with potentially differing priorities or perspectives.

• Leading and Inspiring a Creative Team: Motivating and guiding a design team to consistently produce innovative, high-quality work within tight deadlines and evolving market conditions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Trend Forecasting: Deepening expertise in identifying and interpreting micro-trends and cultural shifts relevant to the Gen Z demographic.

• Strategic Assortment Planning: Developing a more nuanced understanding of how design decisions impact overall line architecture, category performance, and business objectives.

• Leadership Development: Enhancing skills in team management, talent development, performance coaching, and strategic communication.

• Exposure to Broader Business Strategy: Gaining insights into merchandising, marketing, and overall GTM strategies, potentially leading to expanded roles.

• Exploration of New Technologies: Opportunities to integrate and experiment with AI tools and other emerging technologies in the design and creative process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed to reflect the operational complexities and strategic development paths available to a design leader in a GTM context.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define the current Kimchi Blue aesthetic, and where do you see opportunities for its evolution to better capture the Gen Z customer's interest?" (Focus: Brand understanding, trend interpretation, strategic vision)

• "Describe a time you successfully translated a complex trend or cultural influence into a commercially successful product assortment. What was your process, and what were the results?" (Focus: Commercial creativity, process, results)

• "How do you balance creative risk-taking with the need for proven commercial drivers in your design decisions?" (Focus: Business acumen, strategic balance)

• "Outline your approach to leading and motivating a design team to achieve ambitious seasonal goals in a fast-paced environment." (Focus: Leadership, team management, operational execution) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you admire about the Urban Outfitters brand, and specifically, what excites you about the Kimchi Blue brand?" (Focus: Brand alignment, passion)

• "How do you ensure your design team stays connected to the evolving culture and fashion landscape of the Gen Z consumer?" (Focus: Customer centricity, market awareness)

• "Describe your experience collaborating with Buying and Product Development teams. How do you ensure alignment and a smooth product development process?" (Focus: Cross-functional collaboration, operational efficiency)

• "What role does data and analytics play in your design process?" (Focus: Analytical skills, data-informed decision-making) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation to tell a story about your design journey, your understanding of the target customer, and your ability to drive commercial success.

• Highlight Kimchi Blue Relevance: Explicitly connect your past work and creative vision to the specific needs and opportunities of the Kimchi Blue brand. Show, don't just tell, how you understand their customer.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data points (e.g., sales performance, sell-through rates, customer feedback) to support your design successes.

• Showcase Process & Problem-Solving: Demonstrate your design process, including how you approach challenges, make decisions, and collaborate with others.

• Leadership Examples: Integrate examples of your leadership style and team management successes throughout your presentation.

• Conciseness & Clarity: Be prepared to present efficiently and answer questions clearly, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and operational execution, in addition to creative talent, aligning with the demands of a leadership role in GTM operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your resume and a compelling portfolio through the Urban Outfitters careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is tailored to showcase relevant experience in women's apparel, particularly in fashion-forward, feminine styles and Day/Night Out dressing. Highlight projects demonstrating trend interpretation for Gen Z and commercial success.

• Resume Optimization: Emphasize leadership experience, team management, cross-functional collaboration, and quantifiable achievements in design and product development. Integrate keywords such as "Design Direction," "Trend Forecasting," "Assortment Strategy," "Gen Z," "PLM," and "Adobe Creative Suite."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design philosophy, leadership approach, and understanding of the Kimchi Blue brand and its customer. Be ready to walk through specific portfolio pieces and explain your strategic and creative rationale.

• Research URBN: Familiarize yourself with Urban Outfitters' brand portfolio, market position, and recent initiatives. Understand how Kimchi Blue fits within the broader company strategy.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with Urban Outfitters during the application and interview process.