Freelance Designer

Where Timeless Luxury Meets Modern Elegance

Born from a bold vision in 1981, Karen Millen began with just £100 and a passion for perfecting the classic white shirt. That same commitment to impeccable style, quality and craftsmanship lives on today.

Karen Millen is a renowned premium womenswear brand, celebrated for flattering fits, meticulous design and a dedication to detail that sets us apart. From elevated everyday essentials to timeless investment pieces, every piece is thoughtfully created for the modern woman, combining sophisticated design with enduring quality.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Freelance Designer / Senior Designer specialising in outerwear to join the Karen Millen Design Team for an initial three-week assignment.

This is a hands-on role requiring a confident, highly skilled designer who can hit the ground running, working independently to develop and deliver premium outerwear designs across tailored coats, statement outerwear, casual padded coats, puffers and contemporary jackets.

The successful candidate will have a strong creative eye, excellent technical knowledge of both tailored and casual outerwear construction, and exceptional attention to detail.

A key requirement is the ability to produce highly detailed, accurate and comprehensive technical specification packs, ensuring designs are fully developed and ready for supplier sampling.

We are looking for someone who understands the premium Karen Millen aesthetic, with a passion for sophisticated silhouettes, exceptional fit, beautiful fabrications and considered design details.

What You'll Be Doing

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and develop premium womenswear outerwear, including tailored wool coats, trenches, leather and suede jackets, casual padded coats, puffers, quilted styles and statement outerwear.
• Interpret seasonal creative direction into commercially relevant, contemporary designs that reflect the Karen Millen brand.
• Create comprehensive, supplier-ready technical specification packs, including detailed CADs, construction methods, measurements, trims, linings, finishes and fabric information.
• Produce accurate and detailed technical drawings using Adobe Illustrator.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of tailored and casual outerwear construction, including padding, quilting, insulation, proportion, fit and finishing techniques.
• Develop considered design details that elevate product quality, including collar construction, fastenings, pocket treatments, hood construction, internal finishing and contrast fabrications.
• Research premium competitors, emerging trends, innovative fabrications and key seasonal silhouettes across both smart and casual outerwear.
• Work closely with the Product Director and Design Team to refine and develop designs.
• Collaborate directly with suppliers, clearly communicating design intent and technical requirements.
• Review samples and participate in fit sessions where required, ensuring the design vision and premium quality standards are achieved.
• Manage the development process independently, ensuring accuracy and delivery against tight deadlines.

What we are looking for

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience as an established Designer or Senior Designer within premium womenswear, ideally specialising in both tailored and casual outerwear.
• Exceptional experience in creating detailed technical specification packs is essential.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, with strong technical CAD skills.
• Excellent knowledge of outerwear construction, including tailoring, padded and quilted garments, fabrications, trims and garment finishing.
• Strong understanding of fit, proportion and quality standards within premium womenswear.
• A refined and contemporary design aesthetic, with meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to interpret creative direction and independently develop designs through to supplier sampling.
• Commercial awareness combined with a strong fashion and trend perspective.
• Highly organised, proactive and able to work confidently at pace.
• Excellent communication skills and experience working directly with suppliers.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work with minimal supervision.

Desirable

• Previous experience working within a premium or luxury womenswear brand.
• Strong supplier knowledge, particularly with international manufacturers.
• Experience developing wool tailoring, double-faced outerwear, leather, suede, padded coats, puffers and technical fabrications.
• Understanding of quilting techniques, insulation, padding weights and functional outerwear construction.
• Experience leading fit sessions and resolving garment construction challenges.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced outerwear specialist to make an immediate contribution to the Karen Millen collection.

The three-week freelance assignment will focus on delivering beautifully considered outerwear designs across both tailored and casual categories, supported by fully detailed technical specification packs ready for supplier development.

• We need someone who is creative, commercially aware and technically exceptional, with the confidence and experience to take ownership of designs and deliver to a premium standard from day one.

Working with us

• At Debenhams Group, we thrive on creativity, innovation and pace. We value talented individuals who bring fresh ideas, take ownership and have a passion for creating exceptional product.
• Our mission is to create a workplace where everyone is respected, individual differences are valued and people can be themselves at work — without exception.