We’re excited to partner with a growing streetwear brand in search of a Kids Streetwear Designer - Accessories. This position offers the opportunity to define the look and feel of bags, headwear, and cold-weather pieces in their kids’ collection. $90-110K
Now Hiring: Senior Menswear Designer
A leading contemporary luxury fashion house is seeking a Senior Menswear Designer to join its growing team. Working in close partnership with the founder, this role will help shape the creative direction of menswear—guiding collections from concept to completion with an emphasis on innovation and modern sophistication. Ideal for a hands-on designer with strong technical skills, creative leadership, and a deep understanding of luxury craftsmanship. $110-120K
From Vintage to Vision: The Talent Behind Denim
Denim isn’t just having a moment—it’s having a full-fledged revival. From the resurgence of Y2K low-rise silhouettes to the timeless appeal of 90s straight-leg jeans, vintage-inspired denim is dominating summer collections and consumer closets alike. The energy around denim right now blends nostalgia with modern sensibilities, giving both designers and brands room to get creative.
What’s driving this comeback? A few things. First, the demand for sustainable fashion has pushed brands to explore archival styles and repurposed materials. Shoppers are thinking about longevity and how their clothes align with the planet. Vintage denim fits the bill—it’s durable, stylish, and inherently more sustainable when brands focus on reusing fabrics or recreating classic fits. At EB, we’ve seen a noticeable uptick in brands sourcing design talent with a deep understanding of vintage trends and circular design practices.
Then there’s the influence of streetwear. The line between street style and high fashion continues to blur, and denim plays a huge role in that crossover. Think oversized silhouettes, patchwork pieces, and reimagined trucker jackets. As fashion houses look to appeal to a younger audience, they’re pulling inspiration straight from the streets, and that means hiring designers and product developers who can interpret culture as much as style.
Brands like Mavi, Pistola, MOTHER Denim and 7 For All Mankind are perfect examples of denim done right, merging fit, fabric, and trend with heritage craftsmanship. We’re also seeing newer names enter the space with vintage-inspired launches that offer a fresh take on old-school looks, often paired with inclusive sizing, eco-friendly washes, and modern marketing tactics.
For design and marketing talent, this denim resurgence means opportunity. Whether it’s working on capsule collections, spearheading influencer campaigns, or diving into brand storytelling, there’s room for creativity and impact.
If your brand is leaning into vintage fashion or gearing up for a denim-focused launch, we can help you find the creative talent who gets it—from denim specialists and fashion designers to marketing leads and brand storytellers.
EB Clients Shine at NYFW SS26
New York Fashion Week delivered unforgettable moments this season — and our clients were at the center of it all. From cinematic debuts to playful kids’ runways and a dazzling ode to American womanhood, Derek Lam 10 Crosby, Haddad Brands, and Alice + Olivia each told powerful stories on and off the runway.
Derek Lam 10 Crosby NYFW SS26
Derek Lam 10 Crosby: A Cinematic Debut
Derek Lam 10 Crosby unveiled Reflections in Time at the Crosby Street Hotel. Drawing inspiration from travel and the effortless style of the modern Crosby woman, the presentation had a strong turnout of buyers and editors, with standout reactions to the new balloon cargo pant, updated dress silhouettes, and crisp poplin shirting. A collection designed for movement and discovery, it captured the ease and sophistication the brand is known for.
Highlights:
21 looks featuring soft tailoring and satin utility wear.
Standout innovation: lace-embroidered denim that balanced utility with delicacy.
Distorted florals and bold prints with a dreamlike edge.
Celebrities including Natalie Lim Suarez, Coco Schiffer, and Vivian Tu joined a packed house, cementing Derek Lam 10 Crosby’s move into the NYFW spotlight.
Alice + Olivia: The American Woman
The American Woman, Stacey Bendet’s vision blended theatrical staging with a powerful message of heritage and female empowerment. A collection rooted in storytelling, it was both whimsical and symbolic — quintessential Alice + Olivia.
Highlights:
• 45 looks spanning structured suiting, sweeping gowns, and playful separates.
• Key details included ruffled collars, puffed sleeves, pearl- and rhinestone-embroidered denim, and tiered lace silhouettes.
• A Lady Liberty–inspired gown cascaded dramatically down marble steps, stealing the show.
• Palette ranged from ivory, blush, and florals to bold blacks with touches of red, white, and blue.
An A-list crowd of editors, influencers, and celebrities, reinforcing Alice + Olivia’s reputation for delivering not just fashion, but a full sensory experience.
Haddad Brands NYFW SS26
Haddad Brands: Rookie USA Takes the Stage
NYFW isn’t just for grown-ups! Thanks to Haddad Brands, kids owned the runway with a special Rookie Kids Runway on Broadway. Set against the iconic backdrop of Macy’s Herald Square Plaza, the show blended fashion, family, and community spirit into one unforgettable NYFW moment.
Highlights:
Styles from Nike, Jordan, Converse, Levi’s, and Hurley.
Hosted by Ciara, with celebrity families and kids modeling the latest looks.
Big names in the crowd included Russell Wilson, Lil’ Kim, and Busta Rhymes.
Live performances by the Knicks City Kids and Trillian brought extra energy.
More than a fashion show, Rookie USA is about community, confidence, and connection across generations.
We’re proud to see our clients continuing to make their mark on one of the industry’s most important weeks of the year. Congratulations to Derek Lam 10 Crosby, Alice + Olivia, and Haddad Brands on their inspiring SS26 showings.
Now Hiring: Baby Apparel Designer
New York! We’re looking for a creative Designer to join our client’s team and bring fresh ideas to their baby apparel line. This role is all about blending trend-driven design with brand strategy while working cross-functionally to bring seasonal collections to life. $70-90K.
Now Hiring: Graphic Design Operations Associate
Join a dynamic NYC-based team as a Graphic Design Operations Associate, where you’ll play a key role in bridging creative design and production execution. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional partners, ensuring artwork and production processes run seamlessly from concept to final product. Salary $60-70K
Now Hiring: Custom Graphic Designer (Apparel)
Our client is looking for a creative and detail-oriented Graphic Designer with 2+ years of experience, ready to bring fresh energy and thoughtful design to their growing custom apparel team. This is a remote freelance-to-perm opportunity with room for growth. If you're someone who thrives in a fast-paced, trend-driven environment and has a strong understanding of the custom apparel space—this could be a great fit.
Now Hiring: Product Designer
A women-owned lifestyle brand with a big boutique following is on the hunt for a Product Designer to join their team in Apex, NC. It’s a hands-on, creative role where you’ll get to work on fun seasonal collections and collaborate with a tight-knit, design-loving crew.
Interested?
Swimwear Hiring Trends: What Brands Need Now
Swimwear has evolved. What used to be a seasonal drop is now a year-round category tied to travel, lifestyle, and everyday wear. Brands are doubling down on fit, design, and storytelling, and the right team behind the scenes is what makes it all work.
We’ve supported swimwear brands like Hermoza, Monday Swimwear, Minnow Swim, Everything But Water, Pacsun, and more as they’ve scaled their teams across design, digital, and retail. Here’s where we’re seeing the strongest hiring trends—and how we can help.
Technical Designers are a priority. Fit is everything in swim, and hiring talent who understands stretch fabric, performance construction, and size inclusivity can make a major impact. These roles often require specific experience that can be hard to find, especially when timing is tight.
Social and influencer marketing roles continue to grow. Brands are looking for people who can create and manage content, build partnerships, and keep up with the pace of digital without losing sight of the brand’s tone. We’ve helped build out these teams with candidates who know how to drive reach and relevance.
Merchandisers and Buyers are thinking beyond swim. As brands expand into apparel, accessories, and even beauty, we’re helping hire talent who can build smart assortments and bring new categories to life while staying aligned with brand identity and margins.
Retail and pop-up hiring is also picking up. From seasonal stores to resort activations, we help place in-store talent who can deliver great service and represent the brand well—often with tight turnaround times.
And freelancers continue to play a big role. Many brands bring in flexible talent across copy, design, email, or paid media to support product drops or campaign cycles. We place creative and digital freelancers who know how to hit the ground running.
Whether you're wrapping up summer or planning for resort and next year, we help swimwear brands find talent who understand the category and how to move with it. Let’s connect.
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Now Hiring: Brand Designer
We're #hiring a Brand Designer to help bring story-driven campaigns to life across organic social channels like Instagram and Pinterest. If you have a strong eye for typography, layout, and illustration—and love designing for visual storytelling across platforms—this remote role could be a great fit! $75-115K DOE.
The Importance of a Personal Brand for Fashion Professionals
In an industry built on image and storytelling, your personal brand says as much as your resume. Whether you're a designer, buyer, merchandiser, or marketer, how you present yourself can help to open doors.
Your personal brand is the combination of your aesthetic, values, experience, and point of view. It shows up in your online presence, your portfolio, how you network, and even how you talk about your work. Think of it as your signature style, beyond the clothes.
Fashion professionals with strong personal brands stand out. They attract like-minded employers and collaborators. They create consistency across platforms. And they build trust with followers and decision-makers alike.
How to build your personal brand? Start simple: update your LinkedIn and portfolio with your latest work, share your insights on the industry, and be intentional about the projects you take on. Over time, your personal brand becomes a reflection of both where you’ve been and where you’re going.
At Emerging Blue, we work with brands looking for talent that brings more than just experience. A clear, authentic personal brand helps us connect candidates with teams where they can thrive. Connect with us!
Building a Fashion Portfolio That Gets You Hired
A portfolio isn’t just a collection of work, it’s a reflection of who you are as a designer and how you think. Whether you’re applying for a role in apparel design, textile, product development, or creative direction, a well-curated portfolio can make all the difference in getting noticed.
So what makes a portfolio stand out?
It starts with intention. The best portfolios are thoughtfully put together for a specific role or brand. That means curating your work based on the company’s aesthetic, whether that’s elevated, luxury, sporty, or trend-driven. Including pieces that match the vibe of the brand you’re applying to shows that you’ve done your homework and that you can design within a specific identity.
Equally important is showing your process. Hiring managers aren’t just looking for a pretty end product. They want to understand how you got there. Mood boards, early sketches, CADs, croquis, and tech packs all help tell the full story. And in a world where you’re not always in the room to explain your work, the portfolio should be clear and self-explanatory.
A strong portfolio also demonstrates range. While consistency is key, showing versatility across categories (like womenswear, menswear, or kids), design types (apparel, accessories, or print), and skills (hand sketching, pattern work, digital development) helps paint a complete picture. And yes—hand sketching still matters, especially for brands that appreciate craftsmanship and heritage. If you have it, show it.
Don’t forget usability. A clean layout, easy navigation, and thoughtful organization (by brand, category, or collection) make it easier for hiring teams to digest your work. PDF portfolios still work well, especially for email or LinkedIn outreach. But platforms like Adobe Portfolio or personal websites are great for those wanting to reflect more of their personal design aesthetic.
As fashion recruiters, we review portfolios every day. We help creatives at every level, from early-career designers to senior art directors, refine their materials and connect with brands that align with their vision. If you’re building or updating your portfolio and wondering what to include (or leave out), our team is here to help.
Ready to take your next step? Let’s find the right role and make sure your portfolio gets you there.
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Now Hiring: Design Director
We’re working with a well-known lifestyle brand to find a Design Director to lead their creative team. This role is perfect for someone with a strong visual point of view and experience bringing campaigns to life across print, digital, and performance marketing. Open to remote. $145-165K.
Now Hiring: Senior Trend Forecasting and Concept Designer
A fast-growing, Gen Z–focused fashion startup in LA is seeking a Senior Trend Forecasting & Concept Designer to drive cultural relevance and lead creative direction. This hybrid role is ideal for someone deeply tapped into emerging fashion, social media, and streetwear trends with a strong eye for what’s next.
Now Hiring: Senior Accessories Designer
Join our client’s legacy streetwear brand as a Senior Accessories Designer! You’ll work closely with Graphic Design, Sales, and Merch to lead multiple design areas and help drive the vision and execution of apparel lines from start to finish. 8+ years experience, NYC-based, $75–100K.
Now Hiring: Senior Kids Apparel Designer
Our client is seeking a seasoned Senior Kids Apparel Designer with a strong background in sportswear to lead the creation and execution of trend-forward, brand-aligned collections. This role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams including Graphic Design, Sales, and Merchandising to drive product development from concept to final execution. Ideal candidates will bring a keen eye for design, strong leadership skills, and proven experience in kidswear, particularly in denim and cut-and-sew apparel. NY-Based. $90-120K.