Women's and Kids' Shoe Designer

WOMEN'S AND KIDS' SHOE DESIGNER
Evolution Design Lab — Pasadena, CA
This is an in-person position based at our Pasadena, CA office.

Please include a link to your design portfolio with your application.

COMPANY OVERVIEW
Evolution Design Lab is a women's wholesale footwear company on a mission to make great design accessible — creating shoes that are comfortable, stylish, and affordable for everyday women. We've developed proprietary technology platforms that streamline the complete product lifecycle from design through distribution, allowing us to move faster and smarter than traditional wholesale footwear companies. By combining data-driven insights with creative instinct, we're able to spot trends earlier, develop product more efficiently, and bring better shoes to market in less time.

We partner with major US retailers to deliver product at scale, and we're growing quickly: new retail partnerships, an expanding product assortment, and increasing volume year over year. That growth means real opportunity for team members to take on responsibility early and grow alongside the company.

Our team thrives in a collaborative culture that values continuous learning and rapid innovation as we bridge traditional wholesale operations with supply chain technology. We move fast, work closely across design, development, and tech, and are always looking for better ways to do things.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design & Concept Development
- Create original footwear concepts through sketches, digital renderings, and prototypes
- Ensure designs align with brand identity and target markets

Trend & Market Research
- Conduct research on fashion and consumer trends to inspire new designs
- Analyze competitor products and emerging trends

Material & Color Selection
- Choose materials, fabrics, and color palettes that balance aesthetics, comfort, durability, and cost
- Work with suppliers to source new and innovative materials

Product Development
- Collaborate with product developers, pattern makers, and technicians to ensure feasibility of designs
- Provide detailed design specifications, technical drawings, and CADs

Collaboration & Communication
- Work closely with sample room/factories

Innovation
- Explore innovative manufacturing methods and footwear technologies

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Studied fashion design or footwear design
- Proficiency in design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Rhino, 3D
- Sketching, rendering, and 3D modeling skills
- Knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, and construction techniques
- Creativity with a keen eye for trends, aesthetics, and functionality
- Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities
- Fluent in English; conversational or higher proficiency in Mandarin Chinese (fluency preferred)
- This is an in-person role; candidates must be able to work on-site at our Pasadena, CA office

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Previous experience designing women's and kids' footwear
- Experience collaborating with overseas factories and suppliers
- Experience using AI tools to support design, research, or workflow (e.g., AI-assisted rendering, trend research, or generative design tools)