Apparel Designer

Job Description

Who We Are

At Tillys , we’re a leading specialty retailer offering casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for young men, women, boys, and girls. Our extensive collection features iconic global brands, emerging labels, and proprietary lines, all rooted in an active and social lifestyle.

Based in sunny Southern California, our Retail Support Center (RSC ) is the heart of our corporate operations, dedicated to supporting both our retail and online stores. The RSC is where strategy meets execution. From trend forecasting to tech innovation, our teams work together to bring the Tillys experience to life — both in-store and online.

Position Summary

The following is a brief description of responsibilities to be performed by the Designer. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following :

Key Responsibilities

A typical day may include :

• Research and report seasonal trends in all classifications across men’s, women’s, and kids – including silhouette, color, graphic motifs, and design details
• Assemble and deliver season trend reports to merchant team
• Prepare and distribute seasonal color palettes across all classifications : men’s, women’s, contemporary, swim, accessories, and graphic tees
• Work with the Design Director to identify and build seasonal collections across all categories / classifications, including graphic tee assortments
• Assist the Design Director in new product launches, new private label brand launches, and re-branding of existing in-house brands
• Create new brand art for hangtags, woven labels, packaging, and other components as needed
• Prepare and complete all inspiration and trend boards, thumbnail concept sketches, technical line drawings, and CADs / line drawings throughout the development season
• Maintain and update CAD libraries to reflect accurate product information, including fabric, construction, colorways, and graphics
• Design original graphics and placement artwork specifically for the graphic tee program, tailored to the Tillys customer
• Collaborate closely with the marketing and e-commerce teams to ensure consistent visual messaging in graphics across platforms
• Prepare and complete with accuracy all initial detail drawings, bill of materials, trim and label packages, and seam construction
• Partner with Tech team for tech packages as needed
• Establish strong working relationships with outside suppliers and the internal merchant team to achieve margin goals and cost targets through use of appropriate style details, fabrications, and construction
• Oversee and provide guidance to the Textile Print & Graphic Designer in the development of all-over and placement prints
• Provide guidance and direction to external partners for silhouette design, repeat and placement print graphics, especially in support of our graphic tee business
• Manage external vendor timelines and deliverables
• Create, manipulate, and recolor in-house textile designs / graphics / prints and embroidery when needed
• Participate in fittings and partner with the Technical Design team to achieve consistent brand-right, trend-right fits
• Attend relevant trade shows, and travel to vendors and suppliers as requested
• Conduct regular competitive audits to ensure Tillys is on-trend, with a strong focus on our graphic tee category
• Partner with marketing to provide seasonal in-house brand direction and ideation
• Partner with stylist to provide trend-right styling
• Perform other duties as assigned and apparent

Qualifications

Your experience brings :

Education & Experience

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Leadership & Team Development

Non-Management :

While this is not a leadership role, we value team players who embody proactive collaboration, curiosity, accountability, and a growth mindset. Opportunities to grow and develop within the company are strongly supported.

Compensation

Yearly Range : $90k-$100k

Final offer will be based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

What to Expect

Schedule : Full-time role with weekday office hours; occasional evening or weekend work may be required during peak retail seasons.

Work Location : Irvine, CA — minimum of 4 days per week in-office.

Why Join Tillys?

At Tillys, we thrive in a creative, collaborative, and high-energy environment where individuality is not just accepted — it’s celebrated. Whether you're brainstorming bold new campaigns or fine-tuning behind-the-scenes processes, your work makes a real impact. We foster a culture of inclusion, innovation, and recognition, where professional growth is supported, wins are celebrated, and having fun is part of the process. Join a team that values authenticity, teamwork, and always strives for excellence.

Perks & Benefits

Equal Opportunity Employer & Fair Chance Hiring

Tillys is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Fair Chance Hiring : In compliance with California law, Tillys will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act.

Other Considerations

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time, with or without notice. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform essential job functions.