CREATIVE APPAREL DESIGN LEAD

Overview
As a Creative Apparel Design Lead, you are expected to be a driver of innovation. Your influence is felt both internally as well as externally with Brand HQ partnership. Your goal is to raise the bar on the team’s execution year over year. You will continue use your advanced design skills to create Market Right Product, influence the policies of the Apparel Lab, and develop teammates. You will work with design leadership and partner teams to ensure design feasibility to meet price points and merchandising needs in accordance with the Timing & Action Calendar deadlines. You will have proven your ability to design across Brands, Genders and Product Categories to obtain this position. You will need to be able to communicate and present Design Proposals/Concepts that encapsulate all aspects of design - color, fabric, silhouette, trim, fit, construction, & marketing. You will need to be able to liaison with key partner teams in Technical Design, Brand, Sourcing, QA, Country Managers and Graphics. This opportunity involves maintaining deep understanding of current trends. Participation in activities that will increase understanding and working knowledge of market is obligatory. Must be able to act as a seamless extension with aligned Brand HQ (ie: UA, Champion, etc…)
At a Creative Apparel Design Lead level, you are expected to use talents to propel new concepts, projects, and procedures. You will influence the product development process. We expect that the individual has mastery of workload (all functions associated with Sr CAD) and is acknowledged as Design Leadership. Additional expectation is that the individual is interested in developing emerging talent and shaping the team.
Works far beyond job scope and seeks opportunities for impact in the organization
Contributes to both the team structure and execution expectations; is a key contact for that area
Projects budget needs for area of responsibility
Is the main interface with external partners
Job Responsibilities
Leadership Skills:
Has proven self as an employee and is interested in developing teammates
While new to mentoring emerging talent, the individual has shown multiple examples of willingness to step into this position
Has done work to prep self for this position
Conceptual Design Skills:
Able to present at high level to both internal & external partners
Able to influence design direction both internally & externally
Able to build full circle design concept against White Space opportunities & to pitch to partner teams
Able to break projects out & to influence budget accordingly
Able to look at workload needs & identify talent opportunities
Proven ability to apply & perform design skills such as drawing/sketching, color concepts, use of fabric & trim, as well as visual presentation & layout
Ability to analyze trends; break them into mega, niche or landscape categories and develop a compelling Ideation distilling the trends to partner teams
Ability to track and design into fit/ratio/proportion changes in market and interpret them thru the lens of our niche market. Further ability to present these trends in customer facing visits and sales meetings.
Ability to find, research, and create innovative fabrics and trims. Able to identify potential problems and proactively address before committing to the Line
Ability to identify key colors and/or develop colors into interesting, market-right color palettes in fabric, trim, print/patterns. Further ability to execute into well merchandised lines
Able to develop clear, illustrated flats of garments that can be used to decide line worthiness & technical execution
Able to understand Brand's requirements (via Line List) and meld concepts with the Ideation & Fabric/Trim development. Further ability to present ideas persuasively, passionately and technically to partner teams
Able to understand and communicate construction concepts well enough to translate, with technical design, into measurement specs and technical drawings
Able to work on the aesthetic execution of fit with Technical Design in the build process
Business Acumen:
Understanding of business is at a corporate level, not just area of expertise
Able to lead or contribute to cross-functional teams for the betterment of the organization
Is acknowledged as an internal expert whose guidance is sought by the organization
Excellent ability to create market appropriate product designs at key price points
Influences the development of and adherence to the Timing & Action Calendars
Proven ability to identify and capitalize on shifts in the market, consumer interests, and technology
Demonstrates excellent communication in all forms
BOM Builds:
Influences how BOMs are built, implements change and updates to meet changing business needs
Distill sketch/color ups and materials into an organized BOM
Provide info for placement of fabrics and trims
Designate specialty issues like "Washes", "Raw Edge", etc...
Understand functionality of coding and maintain its integrity
Responsible for overall completeness of information
Track & communicate expectations on sampling
Weekly Meetings:
Responsible to lead resolution of issues & gathering of solutions at meetings
Responsible to contribute to the agenda
Responsible to ensure that the team brings relevant samples, material, etc. to these meetings
Team Contribution:
Ability to lead a diverse group of individuals cross-functionally
Ability to implement solutions within the organization for improvement.
Able to direct and delegate workload to ease burden of entire team
Able to trouble shoot creative design issues
Able to lead the improvement of existing systems, processes & tools to streamline the workload
Professionalism:
Exemplifies our Corporate Values, shows accuracy & competence in one's daily workload at the highest level
Ability to be an outstanding representative of the company in high level meetings / situations
Influences the team’s ability to maintain working area, samples, and tools
Work Ethic and Spirit:
Able to support and provide opportunity to emerging talent in the lab
Desires to mentorship and develop others
Ability to be a positive influence on the lab combined with the ability to execute
Demonstrates a willingness to look beyond the job scope to further develop self and career
Has demonstrated true commitment to the company thru daily contributions
Travel or conference to work on:
Establishing report with key clients
Execute seasonal development of styles including retailing, trade shows, and education
Review current production & make decisions as needed
Work on future dev concepts to be shared w/ the Brand Management Teams
Present findings to the team.
May Also Include:
Manage Label / Hangtag / Sub-Label, Packaging etc.… Trims
May need to initiate development
Enable art sends to vendors as well as advise partner teams regarding project
Receive and comment on submits / log and file as necessary
Perform mass updates in PDM
Minimum Qualifications
4-year degree in Fashion/Apparel or Related degree plus a min of 6 years’ experience or 2-year degree plus a minimum of 8 years’ experience
Must be proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator and Creative Suite programs
Tech Packs (PDL/PLM) knowledge/working experience required
3D experience preferred (Browzwear a plus)
Familiarity using AI
Proficiency in garment sketch development and construction.
Working knowledge of pattern making, understanding fit / balance of garments, grading and garment constructions. Ability to communicate aesthetic fit direction.
Strong written and verbal communication to all partner teams; including meeting presentations. Able to upload relevant info to supervisor(s).
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear; to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; and to use hands and arms to reach, handle and operate objects, tools, controls and equipment. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or crouch.
Work Environment
Works in well lighted, air conditioned/heated office environment.
To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and should not require now, or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status
EOE/AA: Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled

United States
Kansas
Lenexa Show on map Get directions