Collection Developer - Wenzhou, China

Vagabond Shoemakers is a global fashion brand with its headquarters in Sweden, where we also have our design studio and development center. Here we develop lasts, outsoles, heels, and other components, as well as all prototypes, in-house.

We are now opening a second development center in Wenzhou, China, where we also have production facilities. The Wenzhou office is an integrated hub with a production and logistics team, a workshop staffed by local and European technicians, and an e-commerce team with a warehouse for local DTC sales — all at the same site.

The Role

As Collection Developer, you will be based in Wenzhou and work closely with our HQ Design and Development Center in Sweden.

You will bring both technical depth and commercial insight, understanding how design, construction, materials, and price come together to shape what works on the market.

You will report to the Head of Production (based in Asia) for your daily work and to our Head of Design & Creative Director (based at HQ) when working on the collection.

What You Will Do

• Work closely with our HQ design and development team to build and refine products.
• Develop new styles on existing and new constructions for our global collection.
• Refine and adjust our collection for the China local market.
• Assist in confirming sales samples and production confirmation samples.
• Monitor trends, materials, and construction innovations in the Chinese footwear market.
• Source components and materials for development.
• Manage and control product costing in collaboration with the HQ team.

Who You Are

You have at least 3–5 years of experience working with shoes and is comfortable throughout the entire journey, from the factory floor to the finished product.

We think you are someone who:

• Has a deep understanding of how to combine design, commercial appeal, comfort, construction, materials, and pricing.
• Is comfortable traveling between Sweden and Asia as part of the role.
• Communicates clearly in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Is familiar with and interested in digital tools for visualization, communication, drawing, etc

How to Apply

We welcome your application via vagabond.com/career. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. For questions regarding the role, please contact mats.n@vagabond.com. We want your application no later than September 27 .