We are seeking a creative and detail-oriented Assistant Designer to join our Product Development team. This role is instrumental in helping bring each season's vision to life through collaboration with both domestic and international vendors. You'll contribute to trend research, sample coordination, and garment optimization-ensuring each style reflects both innovation and quality.
Key Responsibilities
- Support seasonal trend direction across all brands, categories, and labels.
- Design garments and select trims, details, and color stories for fabrics identified during Raw Materials meetings.
- Work closely with global vendors to source and develop fabrics and styles that meet design vision and cost objectives.
- Collaborate with the Product Development and Buying teams to identify and respond to in-season trend opportunities.
- Assist in reviewing and updating purchase orders (POs) in coordination with the Buying team.
- Track sample development progress and organize incoming and outgoing shipments.
- Participate in fittings and provide input to refine garment fit, construction, and style.
Qualifications
- Minimum 2 years of experience in fashion design or product development.
- Experience working with international manufacturing partners; strong understanding of vendor capabilities and global production standards.
- Exceptionally creative, organized, and self-driven; capable of managing multiple tasks and timelines in a dynamic environment.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively liaise with internal teams and external vendors.
- Proficiency in Google Workspace, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop.
- Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or a related field (or equivalent relevant experience).
Benefits:
- 401k plan with partial company match
- Comprehensive healthcare, dental, and vision plan
- Clothing discount
- Life insurance with additional voluntary life insurance policy
- Voluntary short-term and long-term disability policies
- Voluntary free annual biometric health test
- Access to company sample sales
- Company-sponsored Wellness program
- Access to free monthly health & mindfulness webinars
- Seasonal monetary awards for participation in company Fitness Challenges
- Partial healthcare-subsidized fitness membership to 10,000 gym locations across the country
- Company-subsidized discounts to theme parks & local attractions, including Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Legoland, Six Flags, Sea World, and Southern California sports teams; discounts to brands including Vitamix, Sonos, and others
Karen Kane is a well-established apparel brand that has been manufacturing women's apparel for over 40 years. The brand has had rapid growth on ecommerce in recent years, and continues to have successful long-lasting relationships with major stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. From its start, the company has remained family-run and privately owned.