JOB TITLE: DESIGNER
JOB TYPE: FULL TIME
LOCATION: BAYSWATER, VIC 3153
REPORTS TO: PRODUCTION & DESIGN MANAGER
DIRECT REPORTS: NONE
JOB SUMMARY
The role of the Designer is to create new and original designs, predominantly for knitted, printed, woven textiles, apparel and hardgoods for Sage x Clare. The role includes researching trends, materials, colours, techniques, safety standards to create digital design specifications and technical packs for production, in line with the Sage x Clare aesthetic and creative direction. The Designer is responsible for product design and development, with technical skills and industry knowledge being necessary.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Design Development
- Collaborate with the design team to develop seasonal concepts, colour palettes, and fabric selections
- Support the critical path schedule, ensuring the timely completion of all design-related tasks to ensure all products are delivered on time and meet exceptional standards.
- Develop & present mood boards to represent the creative direction of collections, ensuring alignment with the brand’s vision
- Create innovative fashion collections that align with Sage x Clare’s brand identity and market demand using both hand and technical sketching skills
- Work closely with the production team to ensure design feasibility and adherence to quality & compliance standards
- Present original design concepts and collections to the team for feedback and approval
- Produce detailed technical sketches and CAD drawings for prototypes and production
- Prepare detailed design pack documentation for production submission and support / update tech packs as needed with all relevant changes in a timely manner
- Technical preparation of artwork including creating artwork repeats and colour separations.
- Assist in the review of product samples with production & design team to confirm acceptance or provide feedback for adjustments, where needed
- Conduct thorough research on fashion trends, materials and consumer preferences to make product and design recommendations to Creative Director
- Actively participate in preparation for apparel & lifestyle photoshoots to support delivering the brand vision
Project Management & Product Development
- Collaborate with overseas suppliers to bring Sage and Clare designs to life
- Liaise with factories and internal parties regarding design approvals and problem solving
- Actively participate in meetings with relevant stakeholders including production & design team, marketing & suppliers to share updates, new developments, sample feedback, etc
- Actively participate in fit sessions with garment technician
- Approves production and pre-production samples ensuring they are in line with the brand
- Works alongside the design team to resolve product development queries across all areas
- Support with QA comments on fit and styling throughout production process
- Maintain organised records of design processes, fabric swatches, and technical specifications
- Manage production materials including range boards, commerce markings, ticketing,packing instructions, etc
- Track all layers of sample submission from concept to final shipping approvals
- Liaise with marketing on product information, content and photography requirements
- Ensure design room is organised including fabric references, design board and general design room workspace
- Support team to fulfil administrative tasks
Team Engagement
- Active willingness to dive in and help where necessary - to learn, develop and support the team with demonstrated strong organisational skills
- Engage and participate fully in training initiatives, including but not limited to inclusion + diversity workshops and personal + professional development
- Actively participate & demonstrate behaviour that aligns with our values of accountability, authenticity, belonging, creativity and excellence
- General duties & responsibilities of all team members, in our culture of supporting and assisting others when needed include but are not limited to:
- During high volume times, as directed by management (online sales, collection release, pre-order arrivals, etc), assist in the warehouse
- Assist with warehouse sales, including working weekends where required, bump in and bump out
- Assist team with maintaining general tidiness of warehouse and office areas
- Assist with seasonal events including trade show bump in and bump out, as needed
ABOUT YOU:
Experience and Qualifications
- Degree in Fashion Design or relevant experience
- Demonstrated expertise in womens & childrens apparel and accessories design
- Demonstrated experience in hardgoods a plus
- 5+ years relevant experience in fashion or product design with strong understanding of apparel and accessory design
- Proficient Adobe (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and MS Office (Excel, Outlook)
- Knowledge of colour evaluation and understanding of the colour terminology
- Strong technical background in fabric construction, dyeing and finishing
- Strong understanding of garment construction and technical specifications
- Knowledge of Australian standards for textile products required, with knowledge of global standards strongly preferred
- Demonstrated experience with hand-drawn, technical drawn, print repeat, placement print, grade and nest placement design artwork
Skills and Behaviours
- Passion for fashion trends
- Strategic mindset to ensure commercial lens is applied to designs
- Meticulous focus on both product and process, setting the benchmark for design principles and product quality
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced & agile business
- Being proactive and quick thinking to fix issues to meet delivery dates on the critical path
- Exceptional focus on details and consistency in your work
- Ability to establish effective relationships to collaborate, persuade and influence at all levels
- Assertive, resilient, and tenacious with the ability to work well under pressure and overcome setbacks
SAGE X CLARE KEY COMPETENCIES:
- Accountability
- Thoughtful, decisive, and aware of the energy that you bring to the workspace
- Actively take responsibility for ensuring behaviour and communication is in line with best practice diversity and inclusion principles and actively prioritises diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- Reflection on and ownership of mistakes with willingness to discuss them in an open and honest way
- Treat colleagues with respect and compassion by responding when appropriate in a timely and professional manner
- Ability to work autonomously with full ownership and under pressure to meet deadlines, which could entail last minute, after hours work if required
- Be a highly motivated, self-starter with superior time-management skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while respecting the workflow and time of the broader team with ability to be flexible if project calendar changes
- Positive, can-do & highly motivated attitude and self-starter mindset with a relentless drive towards quality and consistency, superior time-management skills and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
- Authenticity
- Ability to take and receive feedback in a respectful and clear way understanding that ‘clear is kind’
- Transparent intentions and motivations
- Ability to be resilient, assertive, optimistic and open to change
- Ability to clearly & effectively present to internal stakeholders and customers
- Excellence
- Strive to do the best whether that is in daily work, collaborating with team members, in general communication, or with external stakeholders
- Meticulous attention to detail at all times to deliver a high standard & quality of work
- Capable of managing workflow with the changing & competing priorities of a business, you understand that your flexibility will help you develop and grow along with the business
- Proactive approach to deliver a high standard quality of work
- Keen ability & initiative to utilise systems and professional experience to solve problems, find solutions & overcome obstacles
- Positive & can-do attitude with a relentless drive towards quality and consistency
- Exercise independent judgement to meet the customers needs while considering the needs of the business
- Creativity
- Innovative and willing to challenge the status quo
- Tackle problems in a multi-faceted way, looking at problems with curiosity from different perspectives and with varied input
- Adept at dealing with ambiguity
- Keen ability to solve problems and overcome obstacles
- Ability to balance multiple & competing priorities in workload and deliverables
- Be able to express the company’s views creatively using the brand tone of voice
- Belonging
- Communicate in a clear, kind, inclusive and honest way while demonstrating care and compassion to all
- Proactively participate in, promote and commit to inclusion, equity and diversity
- Excellent communication skills, self-motivated and personable with strong values and integrity a must
- Build sustainable relationships of trust with colleagues & customers through open and interactive communication, ability to respectfully work with diverse teams and personality types
- Top notch active listening skills, ensuring full understanding of message before making a decision or reacting to make an effective and timely decision
- Strong Business Acumen
- Maintain a thorough understanding of our products, pricing & terms and delivery information so that questions can be answered timely, accurately and efficiently
- Commercially focused with sound business acumen
- Demonstrated project management & planning experience
- Provide accurate, valid and complete information by using the right methods and tools
- Team player that understands how to work within the business framework, considering the entire team in decisions and requests
- Strong project management, highly organised and detail oriented
- Dealing with Ambiguity
- You’re comfortable with changing & competing priorities and ad hoc needs of a growing business, you understand that your flexibility will help you develop and grow along with the business
- Keen ability to solve problems and overcome obstacles
- Confidence, patience, politeness, tact and diplomacy when dealing with difficult situations
- Team & Customer Focused
- Build sustainable relationships of trust with colleagues through open and interactive communication
- Ability to respectfully work with diverse teams and personality types
- Ability to clearly & effectively present to internal stakeholders, team and customers
- Interpersonal communication skills driving positive relationships & partnerships
- Communicate and coordinate with team members as necessary, being mindful of others schedules & workloads
- Team player that understands how to work within the business framework, considering the entire team in decisions and requests
- Ability to remain calm & clear when team members and/or customers are frustrated, stressed or upset