Design Director

Goatusa; Plainview, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 173,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Health Insurance

401(k)

DCA/FSA account

Employee discount

Bonus potential

Job summary

GOAT USA is seeking an experienced Design Director to lead the creative direction of apparel collections from concept through production. You will mentor a design team, use market insights to guide product strategy, and ensure each collection reflects the brand identity and business goals.

You will oversee seasonal direction, collaborate with product development, merchandising, and production, and drive innovation in fabrics, trims, and silhouettes while maintaining high quality and schedule

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, or a related field.
• 10+ years of apparel design experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing creative teams.
• Proficiency in Adobe Suite including Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong understanding of trend forecasting and translating trends into commercially successful products.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English

Responsibilities

• Establish and communicate the overall creative vision and seasonal direction across all apparel categories.
• Guide development of seasonal concepts, color stories, silhouettes, graphics, and product assortments.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Design team with direction and feedback.
• Manage the design team's workflow to meet product development timelines.
• Analyze fashion trends and sales data to guide future collections.
• Collaborate with Merchandising for seasonal line plans that meet customer demand.
• Partner cross-functionally to balance creativity with cost and feasibility.
• Identify and develop fabrics, trims, and materials for concepts and innovation.
• Lead garment fittings and provide direction on construction and appearance.
• Review and approve designs, graphics, and colorways before production.
• Create technical sketches and design specifications for seasonal development.
• Lead line reviews and design critiques with stakeholders and leadership.
• Maintain GOAT USA's brand DNA across categories.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team management

Communication skills

English proficiency

Creative vision

Brand identity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design/Related field

Tools

PLM

Clo 3D

Browzwear

Job description

About The Job

GOAT USA is seeking an experienced and visionary Design Director to lead the creative direction and continued evolution of our apparel collections. This senior leadership role will shape the overarching design vision while leading, mentoring, and developing a talented Design team to bring fresh ideas and successful products to life. The ideal candidate combines a strong creative point of view with a deep understanding of the apparel market, using consumer insights, sales performance, and emerging trends to guide product direction and identify opportunities for growth. The Design Director will foster creativity across the team, challenge and elevate design thinking, and provide the leadership needed to ensure each collection feels distinctly GOAT USA while continuing to move the brand forward.

Job Title

Design Director

Job Purpose

The Design Director provides strategic leadership for GOAT USA's Design department, shaping the long-term creative vision while fostering an environment where designers can learn, grow, and produce innovative, commercially successful products. This role is responsible for building and developing a high-performing creative team, using market insights and business performance to influence design strategy, and ensuring the brand continues to evolve while remaining true to its identity. The Design Director oversees the creative process from seasonal planning through final product approval, ensuring every collection reflects GOAT USA’s brand identity, customer needs, and business objectives.

Duties & ResponsibilityS

• Establish and communicate the overall creative vision and seasonal direction across all apparel categories.
• Guide the development of seasonal concepts, color stories, silhouettes, graphics, and product assortments while encouraging the design team to contribute creative ideas and concepts.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Design team by providing creative direction, coaching, constructive feedback, and ongoing professional development.
• Manage the Design team's workflow, ensuring design milestones are completed on schedule to support product development and production timelines.
• Research and analyze fashion trends, consumer insights, runway collections, cultural influences, competitive brands, and GOAT USA sales performance to identify opportunities for future product direction.
• Analyze seasonal sales performance to identify successful products and areas for improvement, incorporating findings into future collections.
• Partner closely with Merchandising to develop seasonal line plans that align with customer demand, merchandising strategies, and business objectives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Development, Production, Marketing, and Merchandising to ensure collections balance creativity, production feasibility, cost objectives, and brand consistency.
• Partner with the Fabric, Trim & Color Specialist to identify and develop new fabrics, trims, and materials that support seasonal concepts and product innovation.
• Lead the design portion of garment fittings by providing direction on aesthetic improvements, garment construction, silhouette, proportion, and overall product appearance.
• Review and approve product designs, graphics, prints, colorways, and seasonal assortments before production.
• Direct the creation of technical sketches, design specifications, artwork packages, and presentation materials to support seasonal development.
• Lead seasonal line reviews, concept presentations, and design critiques with internal stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Maintain GOAT USA's brand DNA across all apparel categories, ensuring every product reflects the company's identity and creative vision.
• Drive innovation by introducing new product concepts, silhouettes, graphics, embellishment techniques, and design approaches that strengthen the brand and customer experience.
• Manage multiple seasonal initiatives simultaneously while maintaining exceptional quality, organization, and execution.
• Form and moderate product focus groups to gather consumer feedback and insights that inform product design, development, and future collections.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design, or a related field.
• PLM experience is preferred.
• Knowledge in Clo and Browzwear 3D Design software is preferred.
• 10+ years of apparel design experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing creative teams.
• Extensive knowledge of apparel construction, patternmaking, fit, fabrics, trims, color development, and print techniques.
• Strong understanding of trend forecasting and translating trends into commercially successful products.
• Proficiency in Adobe Suite including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and relevant tools
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong communication, leadership and team management skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills.
• Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Ability to communicate effectively in English
• Full-Time, exempt.
• Normal working hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; must be flexible to work evenings and occasional weekends.
• Location: Fully in-person. Plainview, NY.

ABOUT US

GOAT USA is an American casual lifestyle brand built on confidence, connection, and passion. Founded on Long Island in 2016, the brand was created by showing up, building real relationships, and earning trust through everyday interactions. What started in a basement has grown into a nationwide presence, shaped by a commitment to authenticity and a customer-first experience.

We design classic, go-to pieces that balance comfort and style, with collections that evolve through fabric, texture, and fit. Each piece is made to feel natural, versatile, and part of everyday life.

Our growth is driven by meaningful connections—through live event across the country, our e-commerce platform, brick-and-mortar stores, and partnerships with leading retailers. With a team of over 150 employees and more than 365 live events annually, we continue to expand while staying rooted in community.

At the center of it all is Chuck the GOAT, a symbol of self-belief, positivity, and showing up as the greatest version of yourself.

Please visit our Instagram at @goatusa and our website, www.goatusa.com for a better understanding of the brand, product line, and founder’s story.

Ordinary people do extraordinary things.

Full Time U.S. Employee Benefits Include

• Paid vacation and sick time
• Health Insurance
• 401(k)
• DCA/ FSA account
• Employee discount
• And more

Life at GOAT USA

Life at GOAT USA is dynamic, fun, and welcoming, where every team member contributes to our energetic and collaborative culture. We believe in celebrating our team with perks like free lunch once a week, complementary drinks and snacks, and generous discounts on all GOAT USA products. Join us and be part of a company that values passion, creativity, and community!

COMPENSATION

The salary for this role is $150,000 annually. The salary offered will take into account a number of factors, including the applicant job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors. A bonus may be included as part of the compensation package offer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

GOAT USA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status or any other basis protected by law. GOAT USA considers all qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.