Fashion Designer / Illustrator for Ongoing Flats (Dark Romantic Aesthetic) - Contract to Hire

I’m looking for a fashion designer or illustrator to create black & white flats for an established women’s fashion brand with a dark romantic / gothic-feminine aesthetic.

elsaromance.com

This is intended to be an ongoing, milestone-based collaboration. We’ll begin with a paid test, and selected designers’ work will move directly into sample production and upcoming photoshoots.

We are currently shooting content and expanding the collection throughout May and June. New designs should generally align with Spring, Summer, and transitional warm-weather styling while remaining consistent with the brand’s dark romantic aesthetic.

Initial Paid Test (Required)

$40 per outfit

3 coordinated pieces per outfit

Typically: top + bottom + overlay (cardigan, jacket, or light layer depending on season)

If the outfit centers on a dress, design:

the dress + 2 complementary layering pieces

Black & white flats only (no color rendering required)

Ongoing Work (After Test)

~2 outfits per milestone

$80 per milestone

Long-term volume may increase over time

Current goal is to add approximately 4–6 new outfits per month, with production and content creation scaling gradually over time.

I will provide:

Fabric swatch images (often from fabrics already in stock)

Fabric details and intended use

Seasonality context

Current collection references

Light constraints (what’s selling / what we want to emphasize)

You’ll have creative freedom within a clear brand aesthetic. I’m especially interested in adaptability and variety, not rigid repetition.

What to Submit

Your portfolio

1–2 examples where you adapted your designs to a specific brand aesthetic

(fashion or adjacent fields are fine)

Designers whose portfolios naturally align with our aesthetic will be prioritized, but adaptability matters more than an exact visual match.

Notes

No unpaid work

Clear milestones, fast feedback

Budget is set higher to support an ongoing collaboration, but work is paid per milestone

US-based designers preferred for ease of collaboration, but international designers are welcome

Selected designs may move directly into sampling, production, and photoshoots as the collection grows.

If the collaboration is a fit, this can grow into an ongoing long-term relationship with increasing design volume.

Looking forward to working with a designer who enjoys operating within a strong visual identity while bringing fresh ideas to each collection.