Freelance Apparel Designer at Dolls Kill in Oakland, CA

Dolls Kill is a global fashion brand that empowers everyone to celebrate their individuality. We currently have over 10 million social media followers including some of the most influential personalities in music, art, pop culture and fashion. We’re also backed by strong consumer-focused investors who share in our vision of building one of the world’s next great consumer brands.

Our team is growing quickly and we are hiring across many functions. We are looking for team members who are equally passionate about what we do and excited about joining the Dolls Kill crew.

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About Us

Named "The Fastest Growing Retailer in the US", Dolls Kill is a fashion brand that boldly empowers young women to celebrate their individuality. With over three million followers on Instagram, we've become a cult favorite among DJs, celebrities and artists around the world.

Based in Oakland, we have an amazing team of retail leaders, scrappy hackers, creative marketers and fashion trendsetters who are fun to work with and serious about what they do. We're also backed strong consumer-focused investors who share in our vision of building one of the world's next great consumer brands.

About The Role

The Freelance Apparel Designer supports Dolls Kill's product team in developing new styles across all categories (ready-to-wear, intimates, outerwear, etc.), from concept through tech pack. This is a flexible, project-based role suited to a designer who can work independently, turn around fast-paced deliverables, and design specifically for the DK customer.

Responsibilities

• Design new styles based on trend direction and brand aesthetic
• Sketch original designs by hand or digitally (Illustrator/Procreate) and translate concepts into clear, detailed design specs
• Research trends across alternative fashion, festival wear, rave, goth, punk, and subculture-adjacent spaces to keep designs current and distinct
• Select fabrics, trims, prints, and washes appropriate to cost targets and DK's aesthetic
• Build and maintain tech packs: measurements, construction details, callouts, colorways, and trims for factories/vendors

Qualifications

• Understanding of our unique aesthetic and lifestyle
• Strong portfolio demonstrating range across silhouettes, prints, categories and trims — bonus points if it already leans alternative/subculture
• College degree in Fashion Design required
• 5-7 years industry experience in fashion design required (apparel, footwear and/or bags/accessories)
• Ability to sketch computerized vector flats in Adobe Illustrator (hand sketching is a huge plus)
• Tech pack experience required
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Comfortable working independently and meeting deadlines within a freelance/contract structure