Designer (Merrell)

About the role

Designer What could be more exciting than putting your mark on some of the world’s most famous and well-loved fashion brands? As a designer for Centric Brands, you’ll use your skills and creativity to create designs based on style plans, sales needs and emerging trends. You will also ensure that your work can be transformed into a finished product in a timely manner and at an appropriate price point. This means working not only with our technical design and production teams, but also building collaborative relationships with outside vendors and other external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Execute the seasonal design development process, from concept to delivery, by creating and executing original, trend-appropriate design concepts that meet market needs and drive sales, and ensuring the timely execution of each stage in the process.
• Research and identify trend directions; perform competitive analysis; pull and review design concepts, presentation boards for meetings, mock-ups, color-ups, inspirational photos.
• Execute development of initial seasonal design category in context of larger assortment and cost structure.
• Create Illustrator sketches; review specification sheets and line sheets; ensure accuracy of product development logs, line sheets, boards and design archives library; ensure maintenance of designs in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system or shared drives.
• Select and review raw materials and trims; ensure maintenance of library.
• Approve lab dips with Senior Designer(s) and ensure consistency with color standards and licensor directives, where appropriate; review prints and graphics where appropriate and advise revisions.
• Maintain fabric & lab dip submission files.
• Cook up and coordinate follow-up with internal cross-functional partners, including technical design, production and vendors; manage interoffice communication.
• Build collaborative relationships with vendors and internal teams.
• Contribute positively to team dynamic and manage up where necessary.

Requirements

• Superior organizational skills and excellent communication skills; team oriented.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines, highly detail oriented, meticulous and creative.
• Creativity, technical capability and sensibility for merchandising; ability to sketch.
• Highly proficient in PLM, Photoshop and Illustrator, including print manipulation & re-coloring.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design.
• 5-7 years' experience in apparel design.
• 3D software knowledge a plus.
• AI platforms/experience a plus.

Qualifications

• Salary Range: $85,000-95,000.
• Industry-competitive salary and comprehensive benefits plan (medical, dental, vision) that includes a matching 401(k), Summer Fridays, generous PTO, merchandise discounts, excellent career development opportunities, and a work environment that reflects our industry leadership.
• Social impact program, Centric Cares, focuses on volunteerism to make a difference in communities we live and work in and our D&I committee is shaping the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at Centric Brands though workshops, resources and inspiring conversation.