Fashion Designer Children's Apparel

Design Observer; New York (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Design Observer Group in New York is seeking an Associate Fashion Designer to join the Casual apparel design team for Infant through Girls size 5. You will contribute to trend research, CAD/Illustrator work, color palettes, and seasonal concept development.

You will collaborate with senior designers on sample development, fittings, and design revisions, translating trends into age-appropriate, commercially viable products for major retailers. Portfolio required.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of fashion design experience, preferably in children's, infant, toddler, or girls' apparel.
• Experience designing Casual apparel strongly preferred.
• Degree in Fashion Design or related field preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong CAD and technical sketching skills.
• Strong sense of color, print, pattern, proportion, and silhouette.
• Knowledge of knit and woven fabrics, trims, garment construction, and children's apparel development.
• Ability to translate trends into product appropriate for the Infant, Toddler, and young Girls customer.
• Experience with prints, embroidery, appliqués, graphics, smocking, specialty trims, or other children's apparel techniques is a plus.
• Experience participating in sample development and fittings.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple styles and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable receiving creative direction while also contributing original ideas.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing seasonal Casual collections for Infant, Toddler, and Girls through Size 5.
• Design across categories including casual dresses, sets, tops, bottoms, rompers, jumpsuits, and related seasonal product.
• Create original concepts, sketches, CADs, colorways, and presentation materials.
• Research seasonal trends, colors, prints, graphics, fabrics, trims, silhouettes, and competitive product.
• Translate current fashion trends into commercial and age-appropriate children's casual apparel.
• Develop print concepts, color palettes, embroidery, appliqué, graphic, and trim ideas.
• Work closely with senior designers to develop cohesive seasonal collections.
• Assist with fabric, print, and trim selection.
• Prepare and maintain detailed design and development information for overseas factories.
• Review development samples for design accuracy, proportion, color, fabrication, trim, and overall appearance.
• Participate in fittings and partner with Technical Design to maintain design intent while achieving appropriate fit and construction.
• Make CAD, artwork, color, and design revisions based on sample reviews and feedback.
• Maintain organized design files, artwork, color standards, fabric/trim references, and development records.
• Track assigned styles and follow up to keep samples and approvals on schedule.
• Work cross-functionally with Design, Production, Technical Design, Sales, and overseas factories.
• Assist with seasonal market and customer presentations.
• Develop an understanding of individual customers, brands, price points, and product needs.
• Manage multiple styles and deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

Skills

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

CAD

Technical sketching

Color/Print/Pattern

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

CAD software

Job description

We are an established New York-based children’s apparel company specializing in the design, development, and production of girls’ apparel for major department stores, specialty retailers, and national retail partners. We are seeking a creative and motivated Associate Fashion Designer to join our Design team, focusing on Casual apparel for Infant, Toddler, and Girls through Size 5.The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of children’s fashion and can translate current trends into age appropriate, comfortable, commercial, and playful casual product for younger girls.

Position Summary

The Associate Fashion Designer will work closely with our senior design team throughout the design and development process from initial concept and trend research through sample development and final product.

The position will focus primarily on Casual product, including dresses, sets, tops, bottoms, rompers, jumpsuits, and other coordinated seasonal apparel.

We are looking for someone with a strong eye for color, print, pattern, fabrication, proportion, and novelty details. Our collections may incorporate prints, embroidery, appliqués, smocking, lace, specialty trims, novelty fabrics, and other decorative techniques appropriate for the Infant through Size 5 customer.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in designing seasonal Casual collections for Infant, Toddler, and Girls through Size 5.
• Design across categories including casual dresses, sets, tops, bottoms, rompers, jumpsuits, and related seasonal product.
• Create original concepts, sketches, CADs, colorways, and presentation materials.
• Research seasonal trends, colors, prints, graphics, fabrics, trims, silhouettes, and competitive product.
• Translate current fashion trends into commercial and age-appropriate children's casual apparel.
• Develop print concepts, color palettes, embroidery, appliqué, graphic, and trim ideas.
• Work closely with senior designers to develop cohesive seasonal collections.
• Assist with fabric, print, and trim selection.
• Prepare and maintain detailed design and development information for overseas factories.
• Review development samples for design accuracy, proportion, color, fabrication, trim, and overall appearance.
• Participate in fittings and partner with Technical Design to maintain design intent while achieving appropriate fit and construction.
• Make CAD, artwork, color, and design revisions based on sample reviews and feedback.
• Maintain organized design files, artwork, color standards, fabric/trim references, and development records.
• Track assigned styles and follow up to keep samples and approvals on schedule.
• Work cross-functionally with Design, Production, Technical Design, Sales, and overseas factories.
• Assist with seasonal market and customer presentations.
• Develop an understanding of individual customers, brands, price points, and product needs.
• Manage multiple styles and deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of fashion design experience, preferably in children's, infant, toddler, or girls' apparel.
• Experience designing Casual apparel strongly preferred.
• Degree in Fashion Design or related field preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong CAD and technical sketching skills.
• Strong sense of color, print, pattern, proportion, and silhouette.
• Knowledge of knit and woven fabrics, trims, garment construction, and children's apparel development.
• Ability to translate trends into product appropriate for the Infant, Toddler, and young Girls customer.
• Experience with prints, embroidery, appliqués, graphics, smocking, specialty trims, or other children's apparel techniques is a plus.
• Experience participating in sample development and fittings.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple styles and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable receiving creative direction while also contributing original ideas.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who genuinely understands the Infant through Size 5 Casual market and can balance fashion with the realities of dressing younger children.

The right candidate should be able to create product that feels fresh, fun, comfortable, age-appropriate, and commercially viable, while understanding the different proportions and design considerations required for Infant, Toddler, and young Girls sizes.

This is an Associate-level position with significant opportunity to develop. We expect the designer to have a solid foundation, contribute creative ideas, execute direction accurately, and gradually assume greater ownership of categories and collections as they grow.

Portfolio required. Candidates should submit examples demonstrating their children's apparel aesthetic, Casual product experience, CAD/Illustrator skills, print/color ability, and relevant design work.