Associate Designer

Carters Inc.•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Associate Designer supports the development of seasonal collections by translating trends and brand direction into fresh, market-ready designs. The role works with design and merchandising teams to develop brand-right seasonal products, research customers and trends, create and maintain design materials, and communicate product details through sample review and commercialization. The Associate Designer also supports design processes, fittings, presentations, calendar deadlines, intern training, and new-hire onboarding.

Requirements

Demonstrated inquisitiveness and strong communication and analytical skills.
Strong knowledge of garment construction, silhouettes, colorways, sewing techniques, fabrication, and trim development.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
Strong time-management and creative problem-solving skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, creative, team-oriented environment.
Ability to analyze and interpret market trends as they relate to the brands, demonstrated through a portfolio of professional work.
Exceptional Mac skills, including Adobe Illustrator and design tools.
Strong presentation skills.
BA or BFA required.

Nice To Haves

BA or BFA preferably in apparel design.
Two to five years of design experience, preferably in children’s apparel.
Working knowledge of a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tool.

Responsibilities

Present innovative, brand-right ideas involving product silos, trims and details, color, prints, and graphic design direction to supervisors and peers.
Collaborate with design and merchandising teams to create seasonal designs aligned with the brands.
Independently design assigned groups with supervisor approval.
Fill silhouettes with prints and artwork in Illustrator, maintain working line sheets, and update printouts for presentations.
Create technical drawings in Illustrator, communicate design intent, and update design cards.
Build and maintain Illustrator line sheets for presentations and buying needs.
Own design details and communication throughout sample reviews.
Research customers and relevant trends, fabrications, prints, and patterns for upcoming seasons.
Prepare and request design and prototype samples from the Product Development Team.
Design silhouettes and develop appropriate fabrics, washes, dry finishes, repairs, and trims.
Assemble creative and/or trend boards for internal presentations.
Support all aspects of design from initial concept through final product development.
Participate in daily follow-up with internal business partners, including email communications and meetings.
Maintain product details throughout the design review process that affect final commercialization, and communicate changes to technical, merchant, sourcing, and production teams.
Participate in fittings with the senior design team and make updates accordingly.
Train interns and EDPs on silhouette sketching in Illustrator, line sheets, and PLM responsibilities.
Assist with new-hire onboarding.
Meet calendar deadlines for all stages of design.