Sr Designer - Men's Fleece, Tees and Polos

American Eagle Outfitters•New York, NY

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is responsible for identifying and assessing market trends, defining seasonal direction, and overseeing the design and production process for Men's Fleece, Tees, and Polos. The Senior Designer will collaborate with various teams, including design, production, merchandising, and technical design, to ensure product quality, cost-effectiveness, and brand alignment. The position also involves supervising and developing junior designers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion or Art (or equivalent experience and education).
Experience working in Apparel.
8+ years related experience.
Keen eye for color, trend, detail and construction.
Able to multi-task and prioritize based on business objectives.
Working knowledge of Adobe Suite (Illustrator/Photoshop/Indesign) and Excel.
Ability to act as liaison between many departments, excellent communication, and analytic skills.
Must be detail oriented, computer literate and able to handle multiple tasks at once.

Nice To Haves

Knits experience is a plus.
PLM experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Identify and assess domestic and international market trends relevant to the AE brand identity.
Collaborate with the Associate Design Director to define seasonal key ideas, prints, wash, and color direction.
Maintain knowledge of raw materials and partner with the material team for seasonal fabric sourcing.
Partner with the Associate Design Director on seasonal presentations and key milestones.
Utilize sketching and CAD skills to communicate design elements for presentation decks and tech packs.
Ensure seasonal decks contain up-to-date information on details, wash, and color.
Oversee tech pack creation, ensuring accuracy in PLM and proofing work.
Partner with the production team to schedule hand-offs according to calendar deadlines.
Collaborate with the production team to achieve high-quality product within the required cost structure.
Oversee communication of spec and design intent to the technical design team.
Attend and support style fittings, guiding teams through fit comments, and supporting and proofing follow-up.
Oversee trim, color, print, Gold tag, and shade band approvals with the design team.
Partner with merchants to ensure design alignment on seasonal needs and changes.
Supervise and develop Assistant and Associate Designers, providing training and mentorship.
Oversee the design team's daily operations and workload, prioritizing tasks across multiple seasons.
Support daily vendor communications via email and mail.
Partner with the Associate Design Director on seasonal calendar and category-specific deadlines.
Engage in in-person/in-office collaboration as dictated by business needs for product development, milestone meetings, fittings, and approvals.