Kid’s Footwear Designer Career Profile, Salary & Job Outlook
What does a Kid’s Footwear Designer do?
Kid’s Footwear Designers produce innovative footwear designs and build a line from concept to reality that appeals to a brand’s targeted children consumers. Furthermore, they assess and innovate product performance for children’s footwear. They also follow the execution of all product details — including construction, color, form, style, detail, fit, performance, and cost/value requirements. Kid’s Footwear Designers will produce and present materials that successfully communicate with the kid’s consumer in mind. In addition, they develop appropriate designs with regard to fit/performance, manufacturability, sustainability, merchandising, and aesthetic finish.
How much does a Kid’s Footwear Designer make?
According to Glassdoor, Footwear Designers made a national average of $89,000 annually in 2023. Moreover, entry-level footwear kid’s designers make around $71,000 annually, with senior-level footwear kid’s designers making $113,000 a year.
What impact does this career have towards the sneaker industry?
As millennials and older Gen-Zers start having families, streetwear and sneaker aficionados are on the hunt for children’s clothing and footwear that match their style as well. Kid’s footwear is increasingly becoming more popular not only as an athletic function but of casual wear, as major sneaker companies work on expanding their children’s markets.
What is the job outlook for a Kid’s Footwear Designer?
The Footwear market is expected to show a volume growth of 4.0%. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth in the fashion design industry (including Kid’s Footwear Designers) is projected to grow one percent during the 2018-2028 decade.
How to kick-off your career:
- Research Kids footwear and understand the limitation and considerations from materials to performance.
- Research and get familiar with new forms or trending footwear technology.
- Pinpoint your skillset with The Ultimate Sneaker Career Guide.
- Explore the Sneaker Essentials online course to understand Production & Manufacturing processes.
Learn from:
Jon Tang
Sneaker Essentials contributor, Fronteer
Experiences: Founder & Creative Director, Fronteer
Senior Designer, Collaborations & Special Projects, K-Swiss
Related Careers:
Men’s Footwear Designer | Women’s Footwear Designer | Footwear Graphic Designer | Materials Designer | Creative Director, Footwear | Design Engineer | Sneaker Customizer | Color Designer | Athletic Footwear Designer | CAD Engineer, Footwear | Pattern Master
