Designer, Dresses - SM Apparel

Job Description

General Summary: This position is responsible for developing a better made dress line representative of the brand. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Major Responsibilities:

• Work closely with VP of Design and Associate Design Director to bring the collection from concept to reality, including but not limited to, conceptual presentations, sketch review, design research, fabric & trim development, spec and fit processes.
• Contribute to seasonal concept research as well as competitive market research. Needs to be on the pulse for identifying trends and key items for a quick turnaround.
• Sketch into design concepts synthesizing design direction, price parameters, and feedback from Design Director and Sales.
• Drive and oversee your own groups independently, ensuring details are communicated clearly and effectively to cross-functional partners and all deadlines are met.
• Develop strong partnerships with cross-functional team members in Design, Production, Tech Design, and Print. Communication is key!
• Work independently with technical design team to ensure proper fit and proportions are met and follow-up with oversea factories on trim approvals.
• Clearly communicate silhouettes and detailed garment construction through sketches, garment drapes, and reference material, with feedback and updates as needed.
• Participate in all development and production fittings. Confident in leading fittings when needed.
• Follow-through and problem-solving of development issues by style.
• Maintain and communicate up-to-date development details, including sketches, style and pattern information, fabric information, colorways, and development notes. Pro-actively coordinate with team members from Design, Product Development, and Fabric departments to make sure all information is current and correct through development, SMS, and production handover stages.
• Excellent follow-up on development styles and any special projects requested.
• Manage calendar and time in order to meet all milestone deadlines.

Specific Job Skills and Requirements: 

• The position requires an excellent taste level, strong attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, adaptability to a fast-paced environment, and the flexibility to work autonomously and in collaboration with members of the design, tech design, production team, fabric and product development teams.
• The ideal candidate is highly creative and hardworking, knowledgeable of fabrics, trims, garment sewing, and construction.
• Candidates should be able to conduct their own fittings independently and be fluent in construction when discussing with pattern makers.
• Must possess a brand appropriate design aesthetic
• Excellent communication and presentation skills as well as organizational skills and time management.
• Proficiency in fashion illustration on Illustrator, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Microsoft Office products is required. PML knowledge is a plus
• Knowledge in Denim is a plus
• Minimum 3-year design school and 7+ years working experience in fashion industry focusing on dresses required.

Salary Range: The pay range of this position is $100k - $115k. Actual salary will be determined based off candidate’s skill sets, years of experience, and other job-related factors. This range does not include benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, 401K, and additional company benefits

Full Time/Part-Time

Full-time