Associate Designer - Women’s Soft Accessories

J.Crew Group; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Well-being

Associate Discount

Summer Fridays

Community Impact

Winter Break

Job summary

J.Crew Group in New York, NY is seeking an Associate Designer for Women’s Soft Accessories to shape seasonal collections of scarves, wraps, hats, gloves, and other soft-goods. You’ll translate market trends into designs that balance heritage with forward-looking innovation.

You’ll collaborate with color, material, and apparel teams, develop color palettes, and prepare technical packages. A strong portfolio and CAD skills are essential for this hybrid role at our HQ.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of progressive design experience, ideally within accessories or a related soft-goods category.
• Advanced illustration and CAD skills with a refined aesthetic; proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of knit and woven construction techniques relevant to accessories, including stitch, gauge, and finishing details.
• Experience with yarn, fabric, print, and trim development and evaluation.
• Strong color expertise for creating cohesive seasonal palettes.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with solutions-focused decision-making and the ability to work within established design direction while contributing original ideas.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the Head of Accessories Design, develop and refine seasonal soft accessories concepts that balance J.Crew’s heritage with forward-looking innovation.
• Create distinctive scarves, wraps, hats, gloves, and cold-weather accessories that translate market trends into the J.Crew aesthetic, supporting category strategies and direction set by the Head of Accessories Design.
• Collaborate with the Concept, Color & Materials teams to support the development of seasonal color palettes, yarn and fabric selections, prints, and trim details, with emphasis on hand-feel and quality fibers such as cashmere, wool blends, and silk.
• Execute comprehensive technical packages including detailed illustrations, specifications, stitch and gauge details, and construction notes.
• Collaborate with Merchandising & Sourcing partners—including Production, Technical Design, and Fabric teams—to ensure design intent is maintained from concept to customer.
• Participate in fittings and product reviews to evaluate and refine proportion, hand-feel, and overall quality; contribute to material innovation and seasonal concept boards and presentation materials.

Skills

Advanced illustration

CAD skills

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Color expertise

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Job description

J.Crew Group in New York, NY is seeking an Associate Designer for Women’s Soft Accessories to shape seasonal collections of scarves, wraps, hats, gloves, and other soft-goods. You’ll translate market trends into designs that balance heritage with forward-looking innovation.

You’ll collaborate with color, material, and apparel teams, develop color palettes, and prepare technical packages. A strong portfolio and CAD skills are essential for this hybrid role at our HQ.