Sr. Designer, Knitwear

Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of our hometown, we make beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in. Coach is part of the Tapestry portfolio—a global house of brands committed to stretching what’s possible.

About the role

The Senior Designer will work with the Senior Director, Design – RTW to initiate concepts each season that are fashion driven, reflective of the creative vision and Coach aesthetic. You will be part of a dynamic, creative environment where you will collaborate with talented designers and cross-functional partners to craft elevated knitwear that blends modern design with the heritage and sophistication of the Coach brand.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Senior Director to refine knit designs from initial idea to show sample across Women’s and Men’s Collection and Multi channels.
• Lead design research for knitwear from initial concept stage.
• Research and develop stitch and garment concepts for both seasonal collections and special projects.
• Conduct seasonal research—visual, vintage, and trend-based—to inspire and inform design direction.
• Create mock-ups for stylist meetings, both in 3D and digitally rendered formats.
• Research seasonal yarns and collaborate with knitwear vendors to drive innovative fabric development.
• Create a knitwear assortment across collection and multi-channel, leveraging shared design concepts and materials for greater cohesion.
• Mentor and manage junior designers, providing guidance, feedback, and clear delegation.
• Oversee team output and ensure deadlines and business objectives are met through collaborative leadership.
• Ensure product is created that protects brand integrity.
• Conduct ongoing research to develop and pitch new branding concepts.
• Collaborate with the design team on concept boards, concept styling, and seasonal color direction.
• Work closely with design, merchandising, product development, and technical design teams to align creative vision with business objectives and deliver cohesive, market-right product.
• Partner with merchandising to analyze market trends and align designs with business needs.
• Engage cross-functionally with Merchandising, Concept, Print, and Product Development teams; actively participate in category meetings.
• Present design work to internal partners, maintaining strong relationships throughout the process.
• Solve design challenges with a balance of creativity and product knowledge; confidently push back on ideas that don’t align with brand-right decisions.
• Ensure timeline adherence to calendar by completing design cards accurately and delivering to development on schedule.
• Manage development to ensure all samples are received for product presentations.
• Uphold design integrity, quality, and timeliness throughout the entire development cycle—from concept through commercialization.

Requirements

• Minimum 7 years’ design experience, preferably in knitwear.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Design or related field.
• Strong fashion sense and ability to interpret trends.
• Knowledge in knitwear design and yarn technology.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interact with a diverse group at all levels.
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-up.
• Flexibility and adaptability to change.
• Passion for RTW and a thirst for knowledge.

Skills

• Excellent hand sketching skills; ability to create both freeform garment renderings and renderings on figure drawings.
• Ability to CAD technical drawings and strength in image manipulation.
• Experience developing product directly with factories; understanding of knitwear development from concept through commercialization.
• Understanding of materials, garment construction, and performance (i.e., strong knowledge of fabric, material quality, and how it will perform as a garment).
• Understanding of garment fit and ability to independently conduct fittings on a model.
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office.

Competencies

• Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback; faces up to people problems quickly and directly.
• Creativity: Comes up with new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
• Customer Focus: Dedicated to meeting expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; uses customer information for improvements in products and services.
• Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; comfortable handling risk and uncertainty.
• Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; constantly one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people; builds appropriate rapport; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse high-tension situations comfortably.
• Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; open to change; analyzes successes and failures for improvement; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks.
• Strategic Agility (for People Managers): Sees ahead clearly; anticipates future consequences and trends; future-oriented; creates competitive and breakthrough strategies.
• Developing Direct Reports and Others (for People Managers): Provides challenging tasks; holds frequent development discussions; constructs compelling development plans; a people builder.
• Building Effective Teams (for People Managers): Blends people into teams; creates strong morale and spirit; fosters open dialogue; defines success in terms of the whole team.

Pay

Base Pay Range: $115,000.00–$135,000.00

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid paternity and maternity leave
• Commuter benefits
• Disability insurance
• Tuition assistance