Associate Designer – Intimates & Sleepwear

Dana-co | Midtown Manhattan, New York, NY Full-time Salary range: $65,000–$75,000 annually, based on experience

Dana-co, a women’s intimate apparel company, is seeking an Associate Designer to support the design and development of our intimates and sleepwear collections.

In this role, you will translate seasonal direction into brand-right products, independently manage assigned styles, and work closely with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, CAD specialists, and factories to bring collections to life. The ideal candidate combines a strong design eye with technical product knowledge, attention to detail, and the ability to keep multiple priorities moving.

What You’ll Do

Design & Product Development

• Research fashion trends, retailers, competitors, and emerging brands to inform seasonal concepts.
• Create mood boards that communicate a cohesive design point of view and reflect each brand’s identity.
• Design assigned styles within established seasonal direction, balancing aesthetics, function, cost, and production feasibility.
• Prepare and update style requests and support tech pack development, including sketches, measurements, bills of materials, construction details, and sketch maps.
• Provide clear direction to CAD specialists on silhouettes, construction details, and lace placement.
• Maintain accurate style summaries, Features & Benefits pages, fit notes, and fit photo pages.

Samples, Fittings & Factory Communication

• Review and measure incoming prototypes, confirm they match design requests, and follow up with factories on missing items or discrepancies.
• Coordinate samples for fittings and attend model fittings with the necessary measurement sheets and fit notes.
• Help refine designs through the fitting process, considering fit, comfort, appearance, construction, and cost.
• Ensure fit notes and photos accurately document feedback and guide sample corrections.
• Communicate regularly with factories to clarify design intent, construction details, and sample requirements.

Color Development & Market Preparation

• Prepare and maintain seasonal digital color cards and coordinate Pantone standards with Merchandising and Product Development.
• Review seasonal color breakdowns and flag discrepancies.
• Review sales samples and communicate product or fit concerns to Product Development.
• Support market appointments, photoshoots, and video capture by helping ensure garments are styled and presented correctly.
• Keep sample racks organized, clearly labeled, and ready for review.

Collaboration & Organization

• Manage assigned deliverables against the product development calendar and communicate potential delays promptly.
• Participate in design handoff meetings to communicate product details and design intent.
• Maintain organized, accessible design files, samples, shared workspaces, and archives.
• Support and help train Design Assistants.

What You’ll Bring

• Relevant apparel design and product development experience, with strong knowledge of intimates and sleepwear.
• An understanding of garment construction, fit, fabrics, components, and production processes.
• The ability to execute established design direction while independently managing assigned styles.
• Experience preparing technical product information and communicating clearly with factories and cross-functional partners.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Working knowledge of product lifecycle management (PLM) systems.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to manage multiple styles and deadlines.

To Apply

Please submit your résumé and portfolio showcasing relevant design work.