Associate Designer - Women's Soft Accessories

JCrew•New York, NY

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

J.Crew is seeking an Associate Designer for Women's Soft Accessories to help shape seasonal collections of soft accessories, including scarves, wraps, hats, gloves, and cold-weather styles. This role translates market trends into designs that balance the brand's heritage with innovation, working under the direction of the Head of Accessories Design. The Associate Designer will partner with various teams, including broader Accessories and Apparel Design, Merchandising & Sourcing, and Concept, Print & Pattern, and Color teams, to bring designs from concept to customer. J.Crew welcomes designers from diverse backgrounds and creative paths.

Requirements

2–4 years of progressive design experience, ideally within accessories or a related soft-goods category.
Advanced illustration and CAD skills with a refined aesthetic; proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
Knowledge of knit and woven construction techniques relevant to accessories, including stitch, gauge, and finishing details.
Experience with yarn, fabric, print, and trim development and evaluation.
Strong color expertise for creating cohesive seasonal palettes.
Strong organizational and communication skills, with solutions-focused decision-making and the ability to work within established design direction while contributing original ideas.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or equivalent hands-on design experience, supported by a strong portfolio.
Understanding of the J.Crew brand ethos and customer, with a proven ability to translate trends into commercial concepts.
Life-long learner driven by curiosity.
Feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact.
Leverage unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Responsibilities

Develop and refine seasonal soft accessories concepts that balance J.Crew’s heritage with forward-looking innovation.
Create distinctive scarves, wraps, hats, gloves, and cold-weather accessories that translate market trends into the J.Crew aesthetic.
Partner with the Concept, Color & Materials teams to support the development of seasonal color palettes, yarn and fabric selections, prints, and trim details, with an emphasis on hand-feel and quality fibers such as cashmere, wool blends, and silk.
Collaborate with the Apparel Design teams to ensure accessories coordinate with and complement the broader apparel collection each season.
Execute comprehensive technical packages including detailed illustrations, specifications, stitch and gauge details, and construction notes.
Collaborate with Merchandising & Sourcing partners—including Production, Technical Design, and Fabric teams—to ensure design intent is maintained from concept to customer.
Participate in fittings and product reviews to evaluate and refine proportion, hand-feel, and overall quality.
Contribute to material innovation and seasonal concept boards and presentation materials.