Designer - Shoes Embellishment

Role overview

This position sits within the Women’s Shoe Design team and focuses on creating fresh embellishment and surface-direction concepts for seasonal footwear ranges and special projects. The work must balance visual appeal and practicality while staying aligned with the design brief and the Jimmy Choo brand language.

Department: Design
Reports to: Design Director, Women’s Shoes
Location: London

Candidates must submit a CV together with a portfolio. The portfolio can be included as a link within the CV or shared as a PDF via email.

What you will do

• Partner with the shoe design team on creative research and concept building for repeat motifs, prints, engineered graphics, embroidery, embellishment, CAD visuals and other surface treatments.
• Develop ideas across a variety of materials, including fabrics and leather.
• Create hand-drawn sketches, CAD drawings, collages and painted artwork.
• Convert early concepts into artwork that is ready for production.
• Carry out research on trends, materials and colour, including visits to trade fairs.
• Explore new finishes, techniques and fabric options.
• Take part in collection development sessions and join factory and supplier visits in Europe for seasonal ranges.
• Support the team with research, concept ideas and design presentations.
• Prepare technical documentation and specification sheets.
• Maintain and update collection overview records.
• Attend design, merchandising and other relevant product or commercial meetings as needed.
• Work on additional functions or categories when requested.
• Contribute to other ad hoc assignments as business needs require.

Skills and experience

The ideal applicant will have a print or design degree, or equivalent practical experience, preferably gained in an international luxury environment with strong embellishment focus. They should bring solid hands-on experience in embroidery, textile print and surface design, along with experience working with factories and suppliers in Europe, ideally Italy.

Success in this role requires a refined approach to image and pattern creation, with a modern, feminine and glamorous style. A strong awareness of current fashion direction, plus a sharp eye for colour and composition, is essential. The role also calls for a deep technical understanding of printing and embroidery production, supplier capabilities and factory processes. Experience producing hand-rendered and painted artwork for manufacturing is important, along with confident communication by phone, email and in person. Strong CAD ability across the Adobe suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop and Procreate or similar tools, is required. Knowledge of footwear construction and manufacturing is an added advantage.

Personal attributes

• Collaborative mindset and comfort working as part of a team.
• Ability to translate the Jimmy Choo aesthetic into commercially appropriate products.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Well-developed organisation, presentation and time-management abilities.
• Capacity to prioritise work independently and deliver to deadlines.

Special circumstances

• Role requires travel to Italy.
• Full understanding and acceptance of the Jimmy Choo design and product development calendar is essential.
• The remit may expand to cover additional categories, collections and collaborations as the business grows, with work allocated based on workload, capability and strengths.

Benefits

• 25 days of annual leave.
• Summer Fridays.
• Product allowance and staff discounts.
• Access to exclusive employee sales.
• Private healthcare coverage.
• Pension and life insurance.

Equal opportunity statement

The employer is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages growth through different perspectives. Hiring decisions are made without discrimination on any legally protected basis, including age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, colour, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy or any other protected characteristic recognised by law.