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Designer, Color & Trend: Skate Footwear Full Time
About the Role:
As a Footwear Color and Trend Designer, Skateboarding you will be working with a large project team of different professional (Product Line Managers, Developers, Marketers, Fit and Wear testing, Sustainability, Materials, etc.), and collaborate within the design community (Industrial Designers, Apparel Designers, Color & Trend designers, Art Directors, and Marketing creatives, etc.). You will work under the direction of a Senior Designer, Head Designer, or Design Director of Footwear-Product.
In this role, you will create compelling, innovative footwear designs from concept to production. How does a 50+ year old company stay relevant? We value design thinking in providing Vans consumers timeless designs that explore new opportunities and take risks – never stop looking to youth counter-culture for inspiration. Responsibilities include finding key insights and unmet consumer needs, researching creative inspiration, leveraging culture, working with athletes and collaborators, and crafting a vast range of creative and appealing solutions; that are also sustainable and considerate of cost. This role also participates in Vans seasonal creative vision, contributes to seasonal color and trend strategy, executes graphics, product branding, and design direction of various seasonal collections. As a Designer with growing knowledge and experience in footwear, you will be seen as a highly proficient individual contributor closely collaborating with your design leadership and as well as your design peers.
Vans Creative Vision
The cornerstone of our creative vision is the idea of Creative Experimentation. It is our engine in the constant pursuit of progress. An environment of experimentation lessens the fear of failure as we learn from our mistakes. We take the idea of creative experimentation and implement it through a set of beliefs and guidelines we use to make sure our process and output always reflects the characteristics of our brand.
How You Will Make a Difference
- Build category footwear color and graphic direction and partner with Product Line Managers to create visual like plans of the global skateboarding footwear line.
- Responsible for creation of color CAD designs and graphic spec packages throughout design process to product confirmation.
- Create presentations for line reviews, and athlete or collaborator meetings.
- Utilize 3D and digital resources to create color ups and visual line plans.
- Create seasonal color palettes and inform color usage.
- Continual research of footwear sustainable materials, functional and innovative materials.
- Partner with material sourcing to develop innovative fabrications and capabilities.
- Expected to understand market structure and distribution points for all assigned collections, collaborations and categories.
- Ensure timely completion of in-line footwear color design packages, and color CADs according to Vans Footwear development calendar.
Free To Be, Inclusion & Diversity
As a purpose-led, performance driven company, we strive to foster a culture of belonging based on respect, connection, openness and authenticity. We are committed to building and maintaining a workplace that celebrates the diversity of our associates, allowing them to bring their authentic selves to work every day.
Skills for Success
Years of Related Professional Experience: 3-7 years
Educational Position Requirements:
A formal education and subsequent undergraduate/graduate degrees are nice to have, but we are most interested in your total experience and professional achievements.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design or Industrial Design, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience in footwear design and developing exciting footwear concepts.
- Knowledge of form, color and materials aimed at elevating the consumer experience.
- Ability to translate consumer knowledge and insights into product solutions and narratives.
- Ability to build accurate 2D technical drawings (tech packs)
- Strong sketching, illustration, and rendering skills
- Propensity to generate a broad range of concepts and solutions for each assigned project
- Collaborative spirit, capable of connecting the dots
- Capable of executing visual explanations of complicated and technical ideas.
- High level of Proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop
- Experience in communication and presentation programs (InDesign, Acrobat, Word, Keynote, Adobe Suite, etc.)
- Experience in research & analysis and design cycles.
- Experience in presentation, communication and storytelling to support design concepts.
- Familiarity with designing toward a Visual Line Plan.
- Comfortable designing products with high profile collaborators in the fields of Fashion, Art, Music and Street Culture.
- Knowledge and experience with sustainable design and manufacturing are a plus
Skills:
- Ability to recognize and convey market trends
- Experience and understanding of product construction
- Excellent communications skills, including the ability to present concepts to footwear department peers and design leadership
- Ability to understand, assess & problem solve by leveraging technical and analytical skills
- Ability to partner with Design Leadership to improve performance and achieve professional goals
Special Physical and/or Mental Requirements:
- May have to work with hazardous materials (Designer should take precautions when using these materials to eliminate any health risks).
- Bend, lift, open and move product and related office items varying in weight from 1 to 60lbs, depending on need.
- Periodic travel required (approx. 20%), including air travel
- VF Guiding Principles: Live with Integrity, Act Courageously, Be Curious, Act with Empathy, and Preserve.
What’s in it For You
We’re in the business of unleashing human potential, driven by the ideas, energy and commitment of our people. That’s why we offer comprehensive benefits that encourage mental, physical and financial well-being for all VF associates. When it comes to benefits, we’re the total package. Go to MyVFBenefits.com and click on “Looking to Join VF?” to learn more.
Our Parent Company, VF Corporation
VF is one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies connecting people to the lifestyles, activities and experiences they cherish through our family of iconic outdoor, active and workwear brands. At the heart of our journey lies our company-wide purpose: We power movements of sustainable and active lifestyles for the betterment of people and our planet. This is our purpose. It’s the reason we come to work every day. It’s a commitment shared by our global associates across all brands. Our purpose unites us and leads us to pursue our goals, together. This is our calling. Learn more at vfc.com
We just have one question. Are you in?
