Designer, Outlet SLGs, Tech and Leather Keyfobs
Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for optimistic femininity. Today, the brand is a global life and style house with handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Polished ease, thoughtful details and a modern, sophisticated use of color—Kate Spade New York’s founding principles define a unique style synonymous with joy.
Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands powered by optimism, innovation, and inclusivity.
Job Title: Designer, Outlet SLGs, Tech and Leather Keyfobs
Primary Purpose: Responsible for all aspects of the design process for the small leather goods category from concept through development.
The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in design to...
- Manage the design process from conception through production
- Conduct market / trend research
- Create original artwork to be translated into print, leather applique and/or 3-dimensional pieces
- Work directly with in-house CAD team to arrange novelty artwork for small leather goods
- Actively participate in the conceptual development of product lines (i.e., ability to communicate and sell ideas/concepts).
- Participate in research and development of seasonal trends and keep up-to-date on current trends.
- Partner with assistant designer for tech accessory design and development
- Create and maintain presentation boards for small leather goods, tech and leather keyfobs. Gather relevant materials for inspiration and direction.
- Prepare detailed technical specs for all rounds of pre-production development.
- Ensure that product is of high quality and consistent with market trends, as well as business strategy.
- Work with pre-production partner to ensure design packages are complete and accurate.
- Partner with merchandising to assort line and develop product appropriate for each channels business needs.
- Execute corrections as needed; works with merchandising and production to find appropriate solutions to cost or construction issues.
- Travel for research and/or product development (may potentially be required).
The accomplished individual will possess...
- College degree in fashion design or a related field preferred
- 5+ years design experience
- Experience designing fashion leather accessories (tech, wallets, key fobs), experience with SLGs a MUST
- Portfolio with relevant examples (submitted with application)
- Proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
- Strong ability to hand sketch and computer render
- Strong design and conceptual skills
- Strong grasp of graphic design as it applies to layouts, print manipulation and embellishments
- Strong sense of trends, style and color
- Thorough knowledge of raw materials, as well as, construction techniques
- Graphic design and experience working with prints a plus
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- An understanding of merchandising as it relates to sales and store environment
- High Organizational SKills
Our Competencies for All Employees
- Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
- Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
- Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
- Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
- Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
- Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
- Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.
Our Competencies for All People Managers
- Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
- Developing Direct Reports and Others: Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes people to accept developmental moves; will take on those who need help and further development; cooperates with the developmental system in the organization; is a people builder.
- Building Effective Teams: Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.
Kate Spade is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant's or employee's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under the consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law. Visit Kate Spade at www.katespade.com.