Assistant Designer - Kid's Apparel

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Position Summary:

The Assistant Designer – Kids’ Apparel supports the design and development of trend-driven, age-appropriate children’s apparel that aligns with Mad Engine’s creative vision, retailer requirements, and business goals. This role assists with trend research, sketching, technical documentation, and sample coordination while gaining hands-on experience throughout the product development process. The Assistant Designer works closely with Design, Graphic Design, Technical Design, and Product Development to help bring seasonal collections from concept through production.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist the Design team in developing seasonal kids’ apparel collections across assigned categories and size ranges.
• Research children’s fashion, color, print, graphic, and silhouette trends to support seasonal design direction.
• Help prepare mood boards, color palettes, fabric boards, and presentation materials.
• Create and update technical flats, sketches, and colorways using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Support the development and maintenance of tech packs, including garment details, fabric and trim information, and graphic placement specifications.
• Collaborate with graphic designers to incorporate artwork, prints, and licensed characters into apparel designs.
• Assist with graphic layouts, placement, scale, and color combinations under the guidance of the Design team.
• Organize and track fabrics, trims, lab dips, strike-offs, and garment samples.
• Help review samples for accuracy against design specifications and document revisions as directed.
• Participate in fittings and design reviews, taking notes and updating design materials based on team feedback.
• Assist with preparing samples and presentation materials for internal reviews and buyer meetings.
• Communicate development updates and follow up on outstanding items with cross-functional partners.
• Maintain organized design files, artwork references, sample records, and seasonal development materials.
• Support daily design activities to help the team meet seasonal deadlines.

Qualifications:

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 0–2 years of apparel design experience; relevant internships or coursework may be considered.
• Portfolio demonstrating apparel design fundamentals, technical flats, color coordination, and creative development.
• Interest in kids’ apparel and an understanding of age-appropriate styling, comfort, and functionality.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Basic knowledge of garment construction, fabrics, trims, and apparel development processes.
• Familiarity with technical flats and tech packs.
• Graphic apparel experience through coursework, internships, or professional work strongly preferred.
• Interest in licensed apparel and integrating graphics into garment designs.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and willingness to learn.
• Ability to take direction, incorporate feedback, and collaborate effectively.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Work Environment:

• Office setting with regular collaboration across Design, Graphic Design, Technical Design, and Product Development teams.
• Standard business hours, with flexibility during seasonal development and product review cycles.
• Hands-on role involving fabrics, trims, artwork, garment samples, and preparation for fittings and presentations.