Senior Footwear Designer

INUIKII is a dynamic international footwear brand known for combining distinctive design with comfort, quality, and functionality.

The Senior Footwear Designer is responsible for the creative development of seasonal footwear collections from initial concept through to final product together with CCO. The role combines strong creative vision, commercial understanding, footwear knowledge, and close collaboration with Product Development, Merchandising, and Production.

The Senior Footwear Designer ensures that each collection reflects the brand identity while remaining relevant, innovative, commercially viable, and technically executable.

• Develop seasonal footwear concepts in line with the brand’s creative direction and collection strategy.
• Translate trends, cultural influences, market insights, and brand DNA into relevant product concepts.
• Design new footwear styles while continuously evolving core and carry-over products.
• Create sketches, technical drawings, colorways, material combinations, and detailed design specifications.
• Develop seasonal color, material, sole, hardware, and detailing concepts.
• Ensure a strong balance between creativity, commerciality, innovation, and brand recognition.

• Work closely with Product Development from first concept through prototype, sample development, and final confirmation.
• Review prototypes and samples and provide clear design corrections.
• Evaluate proportions, construction, materials, colors, comfort, and overall product appearance.
• Collaborate with factories and suppliers on new constructions, soles, materials, components, and techniques.
• Ensure design intent is maintained throughout the development process.
• Deliver designs and corrections according to the seasonal critical path.

• Collaborate with Merchandising and CCO to build a balanced and commercially relevant assortment.
• Understand the role of Core, Carry-Over, Commercial, Fashion, and Statement products within the collection.
• Consider target price, margin, market requirements, and production feasibility during the design process.
• Analyze previous-season performance and incorporate relevant learnings into future collections.
• Identify opportunities to develop new product families and strengthen successful existing ones.
• Continuously monitor footwear, fashion, lifestyle, consumer, and cultural trends.
• Research new materials, constructions, technologies, and manufacturing techniques.
• Maintain strong knowledge of competitors and the international footwear market.
• Proactively propose new concepts and product opportunities rather than relying solely on given briefs.

• Work closely with CCO, Product Development, Merchandising, Production, Marketing, and Sales.
• Present concepts and collections clearly during internal reviews.
• Communicate effectively with international factories, suppliers, and development partners.
• Support Sales and Marketing with relevant product knowledge and collection storytelling when required.

• 6–8+ years of professional design experience, preferably within premium, contemporary, or fashion footwear.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating both creative and commercially successful footwear.
• Excellent understanding of footwear construction, materials, lasts, soles, components, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong sketching and technical drawing capabilities.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; experience with 3D footwear design tools is an advantage.
• Good understanding of costing, target pricing, and production feasibility.
• Strong knowledge of international footwear and fashion markets.
• Experience working directly with European and/or Asian footwear manufacturers is highly desirable.
• Fluent English; additional…