Entry Level Apparel Designer Jobs
New grad apparel designer jobs welcome recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong portfolio or internship work can matter more than a long resume. Most openings cover on-site, hybrid, and remote settings across Distribution & Wholesale, Retail, and Education, with employers like Varsity Spirit, Pattern, and Abercrombie & Fitch hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 17+ Entry Level Apparel Designer jobs
Job Description:
The A&F Leadership Development Programs are highly competitive initiatives, unique for their entrepreneurial structure, and provide immediate exposure to senior level leaders. With a “promote from within” mentality, these programs have been designed to shape top candidates into the future leaders of our company. We want students who are motivated, creative, and strategic – natural leaders seeking to drive results in a team-based environment.
The comprehensive programs will include:
Combination of classroom sessions and on-the-job training
Relationship with a mentor to guide learning in the new role
Interactive presentations from a variety of senior leaders in the company
An open and inclusive learning environment with fellow associates
Integrated social activities to help transition to Columbus and the unique corporate culture at A&F
Preparation to effectively manage a portion of the business in one of our critical areas at Home Office
This job is located at our Global Home Office in Columbus, Ohio.
What Could You Be Doing?
APPAREL DESIGN (Full-Time Only): A&F Apparel Designers create high quality, aspirational product for each of our unique lifestyle brands. The designer's role at A&F is to take the product from the initial concept through the production of the garment. Designers stay on top of emerging trends through shopping the market, researching vintage, and staying in tune with our customers. This creative research fuels the big picture trend and mood direction at the beginning of each season. Designers focus on every aspect of product development, from fabric and trim selection to editing how the garment fits on live models.
What Do You Need To Bring?
Bachelor’s Degree or junior status working towards a bachelor’s degree
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Passion for the A&F brands and the role
Ability to identify and interpret relevant fashion trends
Solid technical skills with an impeccable taste level and eye for color
Detail-oriented with excellent time management and organizational skills
Career-driven, strong work ethic and high-performance standards
Strong communication and presentation skills
A collaborative approach to working with cross-functional partners to achieve the vision of the brand
A strong desire for adventure & curiosity
Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced, structured environment
Desire to learn & hunger for more!
The A&F Design Full Time Leadership Development Programs offer competitive compensation packages for trainees. Other benefits include $8,000 in placement and relocation bonuses, merchandise discounts at all our brands, use of the A&F gym, industry-leading healthcare coverage, and company matching savings and retirement programs.
To be eligible for consideration, students must also submit their unofficial transcripts, portfolios and resumes, complete with cumulative GPA.
Company Description
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F Co.) is a global, digitally led omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories catering to kids through millennials with assortments curated for their specific lifestyle needs.
The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie brands and Hollister brands, each sharing a commitment to offer products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that support global customers on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com, abercrombiekids.com and hollisterco.com.
Learn more about A&F Co. by visiting our corporate website here.
ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Job Description:
The A&F Leadership Development Programs are highly competitive initiatives, unique for their entrepreneurial structure, and provide immediate exposure to senior level leaders. With a “promote from within” mentality, these programs have been designed to shape top candidates into the future leaders of our company. We want students who are motivated, creative, and strategic – natural leaders seeking to drive results in a team-based environment.
The comprehensive programs will include:
Combination of classroom sessions and on-the-job training
Relationship with a mentor to guide learning in the new role
Interactive presentations from a variety of senior leaders in the company
An open and inclusive learning environment with fellow associates
Integrated social activities to help transition to Columbus and the unique corporate culture at A&F
Preparation to effectively manage a portion of the business in one of our critical areas at Home Office
This job is located at our Global Home Office in Columbus, Ohio.
What Could You Be Doing?
APPAREL DESIGN (Full-Time Only): A&F Apparel Designers create high quality, aspirational product for each of our unique lifestyle brands. The designer's role at A&F is to take the product from the initial concept through the production of the garment. Designers stay on top of emerging trends through shopping the market, researching vintage, and staying in tune with our customers. This creative research fuels the big picture trend and mood direction at the beginning of each season. Designers focus on every aspect of product development, from fabric and trim selection to editing how the garment fits on live models.
What Do You Need To Bring?
Bachelor’s Degree or junior status working towards a bachelor’s degree
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Passion for the A&F brands and the role
Ability to identify and interpret relevant fashion trends
Solid technical skills with an impeccable taste level and eye for color
Detail-oriented with excellent time management and organizational skills
Career-driven, strong work ethic and high-performance standards
Strong communication and presentation skills
A collaborative approach to working with cross-functional partners to achieve the vision of the brand
A strong desire for adventure & curiosity
Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced, structured environment
Desire to learn & hunger for more!
The A&F Design Full Time Leadership Development Programs offer competitive compensation packages for trainees. Other benefits include $8,000 in placement and relocation bonuses, merchandise discounts at all our brands, use of the A&F gym, industry-leading healthcare coverage, and company matching savings and retirement programs.
To be eligible for consideration, students must also submit their unofficial transcripts, portfolios and resumes, complete with cumulative GPA.
Company Description
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F Co.) is a global, digitally led omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories catering to kids through millennials with assortments curated for their specific lifestyle needs.
The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie brands and Hollister brands, each sharing a commitment to offer products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that support global customers on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com, abercrombiekids.com and hollisterco.com.
Learn more about A&F Co. by visiting our corporate website here.
ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
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Find JobsEntry Level Apparel Designer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Varsity Spirit3
- Pattern2
- Abercrombie & Fitch2
- Michigan State University2
- NIKE1
Top Industries Hiring
- Distribution & Wholesale4
- Retail2
- Education2
- Consulting & Professional Services2
- Manufacturing1
Entry Level Apparel Designer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level apparel designer job?
Build a focused portfolio that shows your design process from concept sketches to finished specs, since hiring managers at this level prioritize visual work over years on a resume. Internship experience, technical skills in Adobe Illustrator and CLO 3D, and familiarity with garment construction give entry level candidates a clear edge. Targeting brands whose aesthetic matches your portfolio also improves your response rate significantly.
Which companies hire entry level apparel designers?
Companies hiring entry level apparel designers right now include Varsity Spirit, Pattern, and Abercrombie & Fitch, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. At this level, hiring comes from a mix of established fashion brands, specialty retailers, and activewear labels that regularly bring on junior designers to support their product development and seasonal collections.
Are there remote entry level apparel designer jobs?
Yes, though on-site and hybrid roles are more common at this stage. About 23% of entry level apparel designer openings are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting demand from brands comfortable managing junior talent through digital collaboration tools. Fully remote roles tend to appear more often at companies with distributed design teams or direct-to-consumer operations.
Are these new grad apparel designer jobs?
Yes, these listings include new grad, recent graduate, and junior apparel designer roles. A posting is typically new grad friendly when it welcomes zero to two years of experience, accepts internship work as equivalent to professional experience, or explicitly invites candidates with a strong portfolio in place of a longer resume. Searching for junior or assistant designer titles can surface additional new grad opportunities.
Which industries hire the most entry level apparel designers?
Entry Level apparel designer roles concentrate in Distribution & Wholesale, Retail, and Education, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. These sectors drive hiring at the entry level because their high volume of seasonal product launches and fast production cycles create consistent demand for junior designers who can support technical flat sketches, colorways, and trend research.