Apparel Designer

About the Company

Our client is a global leader in premium, custom sports apparel. The organization partners with top professional sports leagues, teams, and brands to create high-quality, innovative products that sit at the intersection of sport, culture, and fashion.

Position Summary

The designer is primarily responsible for the design and development of a growing apparel brand's collections across multiple performance, lifestyle, and premium categories. This role works collaboratively with key stakeholders across Product, Sourcing, Merchandising, Fit, and Creative to develop seasonal collections that reflect current market trends, support the overall brand direction, and meet established costing and margin targets.

The Designer role will play an important role throughout the product development process, from trend research and initial concept development through fabric and trim selection, sampling, costing, fit, and final product execution.

Position Responsibilities

• Collaborate with your fellow design team to develop and deliver seasonal apparel collections across the various categories.
• Design and develop new garments for both the North American and international apparel markets.
• Research current and emerging fashion, athletic, and lifestyle trends to help forecast seasonal silhouettes, colors, fabrics, trims, details, and overall product direction.
• Conduct competitive and market research to identify emerging trends, whitespace opportunities, and gaps within the existing product assortment.
• Translate market insights and seasonal direction into commercially relevant product concepts that align with the target consumer and brand.
• Develop cohesive seasonal product ranges and create sketches, technical drawings, color concepts, and presentations for review with key stakeholders.
• Present seasonal concepts and product recommendations to Product and other key stakeholders, incorporating feedback throughout the development process.
• Select and recommend fabrics, trims, colors, and construction techniques that support the desired product aesthetic, performance, quality, and price point.
• Partner closely with the Sourcing Team to ensure designs remain within established costing, margin, and production guidelines.
• Make appropriate design, fabric, trim, or construction adjustments when required to achieve target costs without compromising the overall product vision.
• Request, review, and approve fabric and trim swatches prior to sampling to ensure materials are appropriate and designs are feasible for production.
• Review product samples throughout the development process and provide clear design direction and comments to internal and offshore development teams.
• Work closely with Fit Technicians and Product teams to ensure garments achieve the intended fit, function, construction, and overall design aesthetic.
• Provide hands-on support with pattern making, draping, fabric cutting, sewing, and garment construction when additional clarification is required for internal or offshore teams.
• Maintain awareness of competitor activity, consumer preferences, fabric innovation, and broader developments within the golf, sports, athleisure, and lifestyle apparel markets.
• Support and mentor junior members of the design team, helping maintain consistency in design standards and seasonal brand direction.
• Ensure product designs consistently reflect the brand's quality standards and overall brand identity.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Key Internal Relationships

The Designer will work closely with:

• VP of Product
• Product Managers
• Fit Technicians
• Design Manager & Team
• Merchandising Team
• Sales Coordinators
• International Sales Team
• Sourcing Team
• Creative Team

Work Environment

• Steady to fast-paced product development environment
• Moderate to high level of autonomy and ownership
• Highly collaborative, cross-functional working environment
• Multiple seasonal timelines and development projects managed simultaneously
• Strong support and collaboration across Product, Design, Sourcing, Merchandising, and Creative teams

Qualifications & Skills

• Post-secondary education in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, Pattern Making, or a related discipline.
• (7- 10) + years of apparel design experience, ideally within golf, sportswear, athleisure, performance, or lifestyle apparel.
• Previous experience providing all elements of the design process.
  Understanding of CLO software, A.I and In Design an asset while Illustrator and Photoshop a must.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, fit, fabrication, and manufacturing.
• Strong pattern-making and garment construction knowledge.
• Experience with draping and hands-on garment development.
• Strong understanding of prints, patterns, graphics, and geometric design applications.
• Strong knowledge of fabrics, trims, color, and apparel construction techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to research and interpret fashion and consumer trends and translate them into commercially relevant products.
• Strong understanding of the relationship between design, costing, margin, and manufacturability.
• Ability to balance creativity with commercial and business requirements.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a solutions-oriented approach.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to clearly communicate design concepts and seasonal direction.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and seasonal deadlines.
• Collaborative team player who is comfortable working across multiple departments and with international partners.

Salary: $70,000-$90,000

Hybrid 4x per week in Richmond Hill.