Color Designer

Mindlance; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fashion design firm in Los Angeles is seeking a skilled Color Designer to focus on innovative color solutions for products. The role requires collaboration with design, marketing, and development teams to create seasonal color strategies. Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree and at least 5 years of relevant experience in fashion environments. Responsibilities include conducting consumer research and presenting color direction to internal audiences. A hybrid work schedule is available.

Qualifications

• Ability to collaborate with design, product marketing, and material consultants.
• Experience in creating seasonal color strategies and merchandising stories.
• Strong understanding of consumer, brand-positioning, and market trends.
• Ability to present and communicate color direction to internal audiences.
• Mentorship skills to guide more junior designers.

Responsibilities

• Focus on the appearance of products and collateral materials.
• Plan and execute color designs and collaborate with multiple teams.
• Conduct consumer research to enhance product performance.
• Present category-specific color direction to internal groups.
• Educate and mentor junior designers.

Skills

Knowledge of footwear creation/development processes (e.g., FF process)

Experience in fast-paced fashion environments

Knowledge of color achievability and execution on a range of substrates (materials)

Process-oriented yet adaptable to changing business asks

Deep knowledge of textiles and materials

Experience with PLM systems / Technical design experience

Education

Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience

PhD or Law Degree + 3 years' experience

Master's Degree + 4 years' experience

Associate's Degree + 6 years' experience

High School Diploma + 7 years' experience

Job description

Description

The nature of the work is focused on the appearance of product, communications, or collateral materials.

Plans and executes color designs. Collaborates with design, product marketing, development and material consultants to focus color solutions for market success. Reviews all samples to achieve marketable solution review with design, marketing and development. Clearly communicates all changes for final confirmation. Displays advanced knowledge and practices in all phases of product execution - shares knowledge with others. Maintains color calendar/timelines/deadlines for category/division resulting in the timely completion of each product. Develops line art, color design server, GPIN, merchandising line, cutting samples & working with material consultant to coordinate materials for products. Finalizes product details and proactively follows through on execution of color on each product.

Color Solutions

Creates innovative, retainable color solutions for category or gender-specific line. Researches and delivers color, design, market and lifestyle trends that influence and impact the product category process from product briefing to product concept to samples. Explores options and proposes with Color Design Managers and/or senior Color Designers a seasonal color strategy for products, line segments and initiatives. Creates seasonal category-specific direction of color, materials and graphics. In partnership with the Category and Design Director, creates and leads color merchandising strategies and stories seasonally.

Consumer Research

Knows the consumer. Displays in-depth understanding of consumer, brand-positioning needs as it relates to category/division. Utilizes knowledge of category/division consumer & their culture to improve product performance & appearance. Demonstrates strong knowledge about competitor products, consumer retail habits, color, and market trends. Applies insights from consumer perspective into color solutions.

Presentations & Communication

Presents and communicates category-specific color direction and color merchandising direction of the seasonal line to appropriate groups. Works with design/category to produce presentation materials that effectively communicate color direction related to the consumer, product concepts and creative strategy to internal audiences. Participates and delivers bi-annual category/divisional specific color needs for incorporation into seasonal line reviews.

Skill Development

Develops excellence as a color designer. Together with Color Design Manager, advances the value of color to the brand by bringing a high level of functional expertise (i.e. materials, special effects, technology, advanced development, presentation, tools) to the color design organization. Educates and mentors more junior designers in category or color design organization. Undertakes projects and opportunities to enhance knowledge of the business, color, and design.

Top 5-7 Skills

• Knowledge of footwear creation/development processes (e.g., FF process)
• Experience in fast-paced fashion environments
• Knowledge of color achievability and execution on a range of substrates (materials)
• Process-oriented yet adaptable to changing business asks
• Deep knowledge of textiles and materials (Nice to have, but highly valued)
• Experience with PLM systems / Technical design experience (Nice to have)

Requirements for the role

• Must be able to sit onsite at the Brand's location in Los Angeles.
• Hybrid Schedule: Monday - Thursday onsite, Friday work from home.
• Ability to collaborate with design, product marketing, and material consultants.
• Experience in creating seasonal color strategies and merchandising stories.
• Strong understanding of the consumer, brand-positioning, and market trends.
• Ability to present and communicate color direction to internal audiences.
• Mentorship skills to guide more junior designers.

Education and Experience

• Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 5 years of directly relevant work experience.
• Alternatives that may be accepted:
• PhD or Law Degree + 3 years' experience
• Master's Degree + 4 years' experience
• Associate's Degree + 6 years' experience
• High School Diploma + 7 years' experience

Preferred Background

• Candidates who have experience in both a large, structured corporate brand environment and a fast-fashion/start-up company are highly desirable, as they bring a blend of structured process and agility.

EEO

Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans.