Associate Designer

Carter's•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 collaborates with design and merchandising teams to develop brand-right products and supports the design process from initial concept through final product development and commercialization. It also helps maintain design details, communicate updates across internal teams, meet calendar deadlines, and train interns and EDPs on design-related workflows.

Requirements

Demonstrated inquisitiveness, strong communication skills, and analytical skills.
Strong knowledge of garment construction, silhouettes, colorways, sewing techniques, fabrication, and trim development.
Strong attention to detail and good 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 software.
Strong presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

BA or BFA required, 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—including silhouettes, trims and details, color, print, and graphic design direction—to supervisors and peers.
Collaborate with design and merchandising teams to create seasonal, brand-right designs.
Independently design assigned product groups, subject to supervisor approval.
Apply prints and artwork to silhouettes in Illustrator, work on line sheets, and update printouts for presentation meetings.
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.
Develop silhouettes, including fabric, washes, dry finishes, repairs, and trims appropriate to the market and brand.
Assemble creative and trend boards for internal presentations.
Support all aspects of design facilitation, from initial concept through final product development.
Participate in daily follow-up with internal business partners, including email communication and meetings.
Maintain product details throughout the design review process that affect final product 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.