VMI Freelance Apparel Designer - Streetwear & Lifestyle

Vista Musical Instruments is an innovative, global collective of music-related brands dedicated to building meaningful products and experiences for the music community. Brands include MONO, Harmony, Heritage Guitars, Teisco, Swee Lee, Dawsons, and Manny’s. Vista Musical Instruments is headquartered in Singapore, with operations in the USA, UK, and APAC, and is a part of Caldecott Music Group.

Job Overview:

We're looking for a freelance apparel designer with a strong streetwear sensibility to shape products across our portfolio of music brands. This is a role for someone with genuine product vision - you have a point of view on silhouette, fit, fabric weight and styling, you know where the culture is heading, and you can tell the difference between a piece people buy and a piece people wear. You'll define what we make and how it should look, feel and fit, then carry it through to production with our sourcing partners. 

Responsibilities:

• Set product direction for apparel and lifestyle ranges: silhouettes, fits, fabrications, 
  colourways and styling.
• Design pieces from concept to production - tees, caps, outerwear, totes and accessories - including graphics, trims and detailing.
• Select and modify garment blanks where appropriate; spec fabric weights, washes and finishes.
• Build techpacks and production-ready files, and work with sourcing partners through sampling and fit approval.
• Track streetwear and lifestyle trends across South East Asia and globally, and translate them into a coherent range point of view.

Requirements:

• 3+ years designing apparel in streetwear, contemporary or lifestyle categories.
• A portfolio of produced work - pieces that were manufactured and sold, not just concepts.
• Demonstrated taste and trend fluency: you can articulate why a fit, weight or shape is right for a brand and a moment.
• Solid technical grounding: garment specs, fabrication, techpacks and the sampling process.
• Graphic sensibility - comfortable designing or art-directing prints and embroidery alongside product.
• Deep familiarity with street culture, music and design - particularly in South East Asia.
• Self-directed and reliable on deadlines; comfortable working remotely with a Singapore-based team.
• Bonus: experience collaborating with artists or musicians, or building a label or capsule from scratch.

How we'll work:

Project-based engagement with an ongoing retainer possible for the right person. We'll start with a small paid test brief. 

To apply:

Send your portfolio, rates and a short note on the work you're proudest of - and the product decisions behind it.