Director, Graphics & Embroidery at Figs in Santa Monica, CA

Job description

FIGS is seeking a Director, Graphics & Embroidery to lead the creative and technical execution of graphics, embroidery and embellishments across our product portfolio and customer experience. As part of the Product Creation team, this role will bridge the gap between creative vision and production execution. The Director will partner with Brand Creative, Product Creation, Technical Design, and our production teams to translate artwork into beautiful, production-ready applications optimized for the product, substrate, technique, and equipment. The ideal candidate combines a strong design eye with deep technical expertise. They understand how to preserve and elevate a creative idea while accounting for the realities of embroidery, DTF, screen printing, heat transfer, appliqué, patches, and other application methods. They can create concepts, review a concept with a creative team, refine artwork for production, and then work directly with machines, operators, and vendors to achieve the best possible result. This is a hands-on leadership role with end-to-end accountability from initial feasibility and technique selection through sampling, technical documentation, and final execution. What You’ll Do Lead Creative and Technical Execution Own the development and execution of graphics, embroidery, and embellishments across FIGS products. Partner with Brand Creative and Product Creation early in the process to ensure concepts are visually compelling and technically achievable. Translate creative artwork into production-ready applications while protecting and elevating the original creative intent. Recommend the best technique based on the artwork, substrate, product construction, placement, volume, cost, and desired aesthetic. Provide creative direction on scale, color, texture, typography, placement, stitch direction, and dimensionality. Establish a distinctive and recognizable FIGS point of view across graphics, embroidery and embellishment. Own Technical Development and Production Readiness Prepare, adapt or direct the preparation of artwork for embroidery, DTF, screen printing, heat transfer, appliqué, patches and other embellishment techniques. Define technical requirements such as minimum line weights, stitch types, density, underlay, thread selection, color separation, registration, artwork resolution and placement tolerances. Review and refine digitization and production files to ensure the finished result reflects the approved design. Evaluate how different fabrics, constructions and surface treatments affect execution. Develop samples and prototypes with internal production teams and external vendors. Troubleshoot quality and execution issues directly with operators, technicians and manufacturing partners. Approve sew-outs, strike-offs and production samples for visual quality and technical accuracy. Partner with Technical Design to ensure approved execution details are accurately documented in tech packs and production specifications. Build FIGS’ Embroidery and Personalization Capabilities Own the strategy and roadmap for building a differentiated, best-in-class FIGS embroidery experience Assess the current program, including available fonts, thread colors, icons, product eligibility and placement options. Develop an elevated and cohesive library of fonts, colors, icons, monograms and graphic treatments. Review existing embroidered icons and determine where they should be improved, re-digitized, expanded or retired. Develop placement strategies that consider design, function, visibility, garment construction and machine accessibility and establish practical artwork and execution standards for Creative, Design, Technical Design and production teams. Build quality-control standards that drive consistency across products, operators, machines, facilities and vendors. What You’ll Bring 10+ years of experience in graphics, embroidery, surface design, embellishment development or a related product-creation discipline. Deep technica