Vans: Principal Footwear Designer, OTW and Collaborations

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

As the Principal Designer, OTW & Collaborations Footwear at Vans you will push culture forward and lead our most elevated and creative footwear projects. In this super senior role, you’ll set the design direction for exclusive collaborations and high-concept collections, working at the intersection of cultural relevance, innovative construction, and bold storytelling. You’ll bring 6–8 years of experience in footwear design, a deep understanding of color/material/graphic, and the ability to manage complex design projects from concept to market. This is your chance to craft products that disrupt the industry, inspire global communities, and represent the cutting edge of Vans.

What will you do?

This role works within the OTW & Collaborations global design team. Partnering with product merchandising and development to push culture forward with Vans’ most elevated product expression. Reporting into the OTW & Collaborations Footwear Design Director.

• Lead the design direction for OTW & Collaboration projects, bringing a bold, elevated, and unique Vans point of view to life.

• Partner closely with product merchandising to ensure each collaboration tells a compelling story and aligns with key business priorities.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with collaboration partners, from first concept to final product experience.

• Conceptualize and develop distinctive color, material, and graphic treatments, drawing from deep cultural references and cutting-edge design thinking.

• Drive technical innovation and construction expertise in footwear design, ensuring products are both aesthetically compelling and technically sound.

• Manage timelines and deliverables to ensure concepts are executed on time, while maintaining creative integrity.

• Create and deliver high-impact presentations to internal teams and external partners, articulating the design narrative and strategy with confidence and clarity.

• Coordinate and schedule design meetings outside of seasonal structure to ensure alignment and momentum.

• Design products with high-profile collaborators from the worlds of style, art, music, design and culture.

• Cobbling and prototyping skills to support rapid iteration and sampling processes.

What do you need to succeed?

You’ll bring a minimum of 6-8 years of relevant experience in footwear design, with a proven track record of delivering innovative, high-level projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. A degree in design or a related field is a plus, but your real-world experience and achievements speak volumes.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Strong vision in the style space, formulating color palettes and understanding product cycles.

• Deep knowledge of product construction, manufacturing processes, textile and material properties.

• Ability to design for various creative directions, with a strong sense of aesthetic form.

• Understanding of product costs and the impact of design choices on the business.

• Proficiency in in