Designer

What could be more exciting than putting your mark on some of the world’s most famous and well-loved fashion brands? As a cold weather designer supporting Gap, Tommy and Express brands at Centric Brands, you’ll use your skills and creativity to create designs based on style plans, sales needs and emerging trends. You will also ensure that your work can be transformed into a finished product in a timely manner and at an appropriate price point. This means working not only with our technical design and production teams, but also building collaborative relationships with outside vendors and other external stakeholders. The challenges are exciting and the possibilities endless – as you contribute your skills in a vibrant, customer- and people-centric culture that celebrates you as a valuable member of the team.

The Designer (footwear) executes the seasonal design development process, from concept to delivery, by creating and executing original, trend-appropriate design concepts that meet market needs and drive sales, and ensuring the timely execution of each stage in the process.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Innovation

• Support the Design Director and Senior Designer with identifying trend directions; pulling and reviewing materials for design concepts and presentations.
• Execute development of initial seasonal designs in context of larger assortment and cost structure.

Operations & Results

• Design according to style plans, sales needs and emerging trends; ensure timely execution of product development calendar.
• Create Illustrator sketches; review specification sheets and line sheets; ensure accuracy of product development logs, line sheets, boards and design archives library; ensure maintenance of designs in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system or shared drives
• Select and review raw materials and trims; ensure maintenance of fabric/trim library
• Approve lab dips and ensure consistency with color standards and licensor directives, where appropriate; assist in fit process and creating detailed comments on prototypes.
• Manage organized archives of seasonal samples for multiple brands.
• Keep detailed inventory and logs of samples as well as internal and external sample distribution.

Relationships

• Coordinate follow-up with internal and external partners, including production and vendors.
• Build collaborative relationships with vendors and internal teams.

Leadership & Teams

• Contribute positively to team dynamic and manage up where necessary

• Superior organizational skills and excellent communication skills; team oriented
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines; highly detail oriented and meticulous.
• Creativity, technical capability and sensibility for merchandising; strong ability to sketch.
• Extensive knowledge of multiple types of footwear constructions, upper designs and internal components.
• Basic knowledge and sensitivity to last shapes and how upper patterns can be adjusted to create a specific look.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Footwear Design or equivalent professional experience.
• 4 - 7 years of experience in footwear design.
• Extensive knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite apps; Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign.
• Experience using generative AI apps such as Raspberry for sketch to render is a plus.
• Experience in 3D design is also a plus.

In return, we provide an industry-competitive salary, along with a comprehensive benefits plan (medical, dental, vision) that includes a matching 401(k), Summer Fridays, generous PTO, merchandise discounts, excellent career development opportunities, and a work environment that reflects our industry leadership. Our social impact program, Centric Cares, focuses on volunteerism to make a difference in communities we live and work in and our D&I committee is shaping the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at Centric Brands though workshops, resources and inspiring conversation.

Salary Range: $80,000-$90,000

At Centric Brands, we believe our people are our greatest asset, and we seek to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure that we are able to attract and retain the best talent. Our job postings include an annual base salary range at the time of employment. The stated base salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on several factors, including the selected candidate's educational and professional experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process. Base salary is a part of a total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, annual bonus and other Centric Brands sponsored benefit programs.

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