Senior Designer at Garan, Incorporated

Description

Senior Designer – Girls Toddler to Kids (Size 7)

Location: New York, NY
Reports To: Design Director
Salary Range: $115,000–$120,000

Position Overview

Garan is seeking an experienced Senior Designer to lead the design and execution of seasonal collections for Girls Toddler through Kids (Size 7). This role requires a hands‑on creative leader with strong girls’ design expertise, the ability to manage multiple design calendars, and a bias toward execution in a fast‑paced, value‑driven environment.

The ideal candidate brings strong aesthetic judgment, operational fluency, and the ability to translate trend and concept into commercial, age‑appropriate product.

Core Responsibilities

·       Own the design process from concept through production for Girls Toddler–Kids (Size 7).

·       Develop cohesive, brand‑right seasonal collections aligned with merchandising strategy, cost targets, and customer needs.

·       Design age‑appropriate styles, prints, graphics, and embellishments across key categories with a strong mix‑and‑match sensibility.

·       Lead seasonal trend research and translate insights into actionable, commercially viable design direction.

·       Partner closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Technical Design, and Production to ensure design intent, fit, quality, and feasibility.

·       Review and approve sketches, CADs, artwork, lab dips, strike‑offs, and samples with clear, timely feedback.

·       Manage multiple seasons and overlapping calendars with accuracy and urgency.

·       Utilize PLM systems (Be Product or comparable); experience with Miro a plus.

·       Collaborate with external customer or retail partners as needed.

Team & Leadership

·       Provide execution leadership and day‑to‑day creative direction.

·       Mentor and guide junior designers and graphic partners as applicable.

·       Contribute to broader brand and design strategy initiatives.

Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field.

·       7+ years of girls’ apparel design experience, preferably within toddler and/or kids multi‑category programs.

·       Strong background in value‑driven or high‑volume retail/wholesale apparel.

·       Advanced skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; CAD proficiency required.

·       Strong understanding of childrenswear fit, construction, safety standards, and production realities.

·       Experience with 3D and/or AI‑assisted design tools is a plus.

·       Proven ability to multitask, context‑switch, and lead with urgency in a fast‑paced environment.

·       Clear, confident communicator with strong cross‑functional collaboration skills.

What Success Looks Like

·       On‑time delivery of commercially successful, brand‑appropriate collections.

·       Strong execution across design milestones and seasonal calendars.

·       Effective collaboration across Design, Merchandising, and Production.

·       Consistent balance between creativity, cost, and speed‑to‑market.