Founding Designer - Shields Group Search : Job Details

Founding Product Designer

About the Company:

Our client is an innovative Seed stage VC backed startup transforming the fashion industry by reimagining how designers and supply chain teams collaborate. They are creating a groundbreaking platform that integrates a flexible digital canvas with AI-powered tools, enabling fashion teams to streamline their workflows, reduce costs, and accelerate production timelines.

Since its launch in 2023, the company has achieved impressive milestones:

• Significant productivity gains for design teams, saving over 40+ hours per week.
• 12x ARR growth in the past year.
• Adoption by leading U.S. fashion design schools, including Parsons, SCAD, and FIT.

This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly growing company poised to redefine how the fashion industry works.

Role Overview:

As the Founding Product Designer, you will shape the future of design and collaboration in fashion. You'll take ownership of crafting an intuitive and visually stunning user experience, from onboarding new users to enhancing advanced AI-driven features. This is a hands-on, entrepreneurial role where you'll define the company's design philosophy while driving innovation across the platform.

Location Requirements:

This is a hybrid role based in New York City. Candidates must be located in NYC and available for in-person collaboration as needed.

What You'll Do:

• Reimagine Design Workflows: Transform traditional fashion design processes into seamless, AI-powered digital experiences.
• Define the End-to-End User Journey: Create intuitive interactions that cater to both junior designers and seasoned creative directors.
• Develop a Visual Identity: Establish a cohesive visual language and interaction patterns inspired by the creativity of the fashion industry.
• Prototype Innovative Features: Test new ideas for collaborative canvases, fabric sourcing, and 3D visualization.
• Build and Scale a Design System: Lead the development and refinement of the design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across the product.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work closely with engineering, product, and leadership teams to deliver a cohesive, user-centric platform.

What We're Looking For:

• 4+ years of experience designing intuitive, user-facing products.
• Proven ability to ship 0→1 products with exceptional visual and interaction design.
• Strong understanding of workflows for creative or prosumer tools, with a passion for solving complex problems elegantly.
• Experience or interest in AI-assisted design patterns.
• Proficiency in Figma and hands-on UX/UI expertise.
• Startup experience with a history of building or scaling design functions from the ground up.
• Front-end development experience is a significant plus.
• Exposure to the fashion industry is a bonus but not required.

What's in It for You:

• Competitive Salary: $160,000–$200,000 annually.
• Equity: Meaningful early-stage equity with high growth potential.
• Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Career Growth: Opportunity to shape the design vision of a company transforming a global industry.

If you're passionate about designing user-friendly, impactful tools and thrive in a fast-paced startup environment, we'd love to hear from you!