Footwear & Accessories Designer

About the role

Hereu, an independent contemporary fashion brand based in Barcelona, is seeking a Footwear & Accessories Designer to work on‑site as the operational right‑hand to the founders. The role blends creative research, technical development, and close collaboration with merchandising and creative direction to ensure the brand’s Mediterranean identity and craftsmanship are faithfully executed.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct creative research on visual concepts, art movements, architecture and global luxury trends; develop moodboards, colour proposals and texture panels for each season.
• Source leathers, linings, hardware and new materials, maintaining a pipeline of innovative options.
• Partner with Merchandising to close the range plan, evaluate technical proposals, and balance aesthetic vision with material feasibility and cost.
• Lead fitting sessions, document outcomes, and oversee prototypes and salesman samples, flagging deviations before production sign‑off.
• Translate founders’ creative direction into sketches for new footwear and bag silhouettes, propose new models, structures and volumes, and ensure design intent is reflected in technical spec sheets and BOMs.

Required profile

• 3–5 years of experience in research, development and design of footwear, bags or leather goods for premium or contemporary luxury brands.
• Degree in Fashion Design, Product Design or demonstrable specialization in footwear and leather goods.
• Fluent in Spanish and English, both written and spoken.
• Strong aesthetic sense for contemporary luxury, traditional craftsmanship and Hereu’s visual language.
• Ability to defend brand values against commercial or production pressures and take ownership of research, design and technical development.

Required skills

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop