Associate Designer (Apparel)

Primary; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4-day work weeks

PTO & holidays

401(k) match

Employee discount

Learning stipend

Home-office reimbursement

Collaborative culture

Job summary

Primary, a mom-founded kids’ clothing brand, seeks an Associate Designer, Baby, to support concept-to-production for infant and toddler lines. You’ll collaborate with design, merchandising, and product development to scale evergreen items and introduce high-quality seasonal styles.

This role is hybrid, working Tue/Thu from our NYC office. You’ll translate concepts into flat technical sketches, develop prints, and manage tech packs and BOMs while coordinating with cross-functional teams to meet

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional apparel design experience (baby/infant/kids a plus).
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator & Photoshop).
• Proven mastery in building tech packs, POM sheets, and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Solid understanding of garment construction, fabric performance, and live garment measuring/fitting.
• Experience with lab dip approvals, strike-off evaluations, and print repeat setups.

Responsibilities

• Translate seasonal concepts into detailed flat technical sketches using Illustrator.
• Develop print & pattern from concept to color approval.
• Maintain seasonal development boards, fabric libraries, and master assortment files.
• Collaborate with Product Development, Sourcing, and Merchandising to align design with cost and lead times.
• Build, update, and manage complete tech packs and BOMs.
• Record fit notes during live sessions and issue revision packages to vendors.
• Track revisions, sample submissions, and milestones to keep development on schedule.

Skills

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Tech packs

POM sheets

BOMs

Garment construction

Live garment fitting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Salary Range: $74,000.00 To $84,000.00 Annually

About Primary

Primary is a mom-founded kids’ clothing brand on a mission to help every kid be their truest self. Since launching in 2015, we’ve created simple, beautiful, gender-neutral styles made to last — with super-soft, sustainable fabrics and slogan-free designs that let kids shine in what they wear.

Our customers care deeply about what we do, helping us build one of the highest NPS scores in the industry (85+!) and an incredibly loyal community. We’re growing a strong, sustainable, and profitable (!!) business — and we’re always looking for great people to grow it with us.

We value kind, curious, and thoughtful self-starters who think strategically, collaborate generously, and care about doing great work. We’re also a change-friendly bunch — always open to new ideas and perspectives that make Primary better for our customers, our teammates, and our world.

About the Role

The Associate Designer, Baby will support the design team in the development of apparel and accessories collections from concept through production, with a special focus on our infant and walking toddler categories. You will collaborate closely with the design, merchandising, and product development teams, focusing on scaling our core evergreen assortment and introducing thoughtful, high-quality seasonal styles. This position will work on a hybrid basis (T/Th) from our NYC office.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with the Design Lead to translate seasonal concepts into detailed flat technical sketches using Adobe Illustrator.
• Assist in developing print & pattern from concept to color approval.
• Maintain and organize seasonal development boards, fabric libraries, and master assortment files.
• Collaborate closely with Product Development, Sourcing, and Merchandising teams to align design intent with cost and lead times.
• Build, update, and manage complete, detailed tech packs and BOMs.
• Actively participate in live fit sessions, record precise fit notes, and issue clear revision packages to vendors.
• Track product revisions, sample submissions, and timeline milestones to keep seasonal development on schedule.

What You’ll Bring

Education, Experience, and Technical Skills

• 2+ years of professional apparel design experience; direct experience in baby, infant, or kids' apparel is a plus.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator & Photoshop).
• Proven mastery in building complete tech packs, point-of-measure (POM) sheets, and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Solid understanding of garment construction, fabric performance, and live garment measuring/fitting.
• Experience with lab dip approvals, strike-off evaluations, and print repeat setups.

Nice-to-Haves / Bonus Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or a related field.
• Proactivity: You identify gaps, propose practical solutions, and bring proactive energy to category execution.
• Ego-free collaboration: You prioritize the product's success, welcome feedback gracefully, and work seamlessly with cross-functional partners.
• Ambiguity navigation: You create order out of shifting project needs, manage priorities, and know when to manage up effectively

What We Offer

We want our team to feel supported, valued, and able to thrive — at work and beyond. Our benefits include:

• 4-day work weeks (for most roles, Fridays are flexible)
• Generous time off (3-4 weeks of PTO, unlimited sick time, 10 holidays + winter break) and leave options (including 12 weeks fully paid for all new parents)
• Multiple medical, dental, vision, and pre-tax accounts
• 401(k) with company match
• Perks like an employee discount, monthly learning (or gym) stipend, home-office reimbursement, and manager team-building fund
• A kind, colorful, and collaborative culture

We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives and experiences. If you need any accommodations during the hiring process, please reach out. We partner with Disclo, a secure third-party platform, to make the process simple and confidential.