Creative Footwear Materials Designer [AQ-10855]

Creative Footwear Materials Designer

Location:

Portland, OR (Hybrid; occasional onsite collaboration required)

Contract Length:

13 months

Overview

We are seeking a highly creative and experienced

Footwear Materials Designer

to support a special product initiative focused on innovative footwear concepts across performance, lifestyle, and culture-driven categories. This role will partner with designers, developers, and cross-functional teams to create compelling material stories that balance creativity, consumer relevance, technical execution, and brand identity.

The ideal candidate is passionate about footwear, deeply connected to sneaker culture and streetwear, and brings a strong portfolio demonstrating material exploration, design process, and finished product execution.

Responsibilities

Develop creative footwear material concepts across multiple product categories and collections

Research and identify emerging materials, finishes, textures, and construction techniques to elevate product design

Create material stories and presentations that communicate design intent, inspiration, and consumer relevance

Partner with footwear designers, product developers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to bring concepts from idea through execution

Support the development of innovative material applications while considering performance, aesthetics, manufacturability, and cost

Review prototypes and provide design feedback throughout the product creation process

Collaborate on special projects, partnerships, and culturally relevant product initiatives

Stay informed on footwear trends, sneaker culture, streetwear, and evolving consumer preferences

Qualifications

5+ years of experience in creative footwear material design, footwear design, or related product design roles

Bachelor’s degree in design, industrial design, footwear design, fashion design, or equivalent professional experience

Demonstrated experience working across multiple footwear segments or product lines

Strong portfolio showcasing:

Material concepts and experimentation

Footwear design process

Design exploration and iterations

Final product execution

Ability to communicate creative rationale and design decisions

Strong understanding of footwear materials, including:

Leather

Canvas

Synthetic materials

Wovens

Meshes

Upper constructions

Footwear trims (preferred)

Passion for skateboarding, sneaker culture, streetwear, or youth lifestyle markets

Ability to balance creative vision with technical requirements and business considerations

Strong collaboration, communication, and presentation skills

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing footwear materials for skateboarding, action sports, sneaker, or streetwear categories

Experience supporting footwear collaborations, partnerships, or limited-edition product launches

Knowledge of footwear manufacturing, material sourcing, and supplier capabilities

Experience working with global brands or highly recognizable consumer product organizations

Understanding of consumer trends and cultural influences impacting footwear design

Portfolio Requirements

Recent footwear material design work

Creative approach and design point of view

Material exploration and development process

Examples of challenges, iterations, and design decisions

Ability to bring fresh ideas and concepts to a culture-driven footwear category

Client Description
Global leader in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. Our client focuses on innovation, performance, and marketing, partnering with top athletes and teams. The company emphasizes sustainability and digital advancements to enhance the sports experience.

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