Lead, Apparel Designer, NSW, Create, Local Creation NA

NIKE Retail Services; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike is seeking a Lead Apparel Designer to craft narrative-driven apparel across Nike and Jordan lines in North America. You will translate consumer insights into compelling product stories, leveraging color, materials, and hardware while balancing creative ambition with cost targets.

Bring a strong design portfolio and 5+ years of experience in performance, streetwear, or lifestyle apparel. The role requires collaboration across disciplines in a fast-moving environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in apparel design or related field.
• 5+ years of apparel product design experience preferred.
• Portfolio demonstrating fashion/apparel work.
• Experience with performance, streetwear, or lifestyle lines.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and CLO; AI design tools like Vizcom.

Responsibilities

• Drive apparel design for Nike and Jordan categories in North America from concept to execution.
• Translate direction, insights, and trends into product narratives with speed.
• Use color, materials, trims, and hardware to establish a premium brand POV while meeting cost targets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to move concepts to samples and final products.
• Monitor development, share ideas with partners, and support timely project delivery.
• Collaborate with footwear partners to create cohesive head-to-toe expressions.

Skills

Apparel design

Portfolio required

Cross-functional collaboration

Creative direction

Education

Bachelor's degree in apparel design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

CLO 3D

Vizcom

Mac platforms

Miro

Smartsheet

Job description

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

This role reports to the North America Local Creation Senior Apparel Design Manager and partners with Apparel Design, Graphic Design, Footwear, Product Management, Development, and global Color, Materials, and Graphics teams. Together, they create connected, head-to-toe expressions that serve North American consumers with speed and specificity.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Nike is looking for a Lead Apparel Designer who can build an emotional connection with North American consumers through narrative, product, and storytelling. This designer brings seasonal creative direction to life with expertise in color, materials, trims, and hardware at both the product and collection level. They translate consumer insights and emerging trends into authentic, culturally relevant design solutions while balancing creative ambition, commercial priorities, and cost targets. The ideal candidate communicates design intent with clarity, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and makes informed decisions with speed and agility. They are a curious, detail-oriented self-starter who can navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and collaborate across disciplines. A strong understanding of fashion, sport, art, culture, streetwear, lifestyle, and performance apparel is essential, along with the ability to elevate diverse perspectives and strengthen an inclusive creative environment.

• A design portfolio is required.
• Bachelor's degree in apparel design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
• 5+ years of apparel product design experience preferred, including experience in performance, streetwear, or lifestyle apparel. Experience designing for international markets, particularly North America, is also preferred.
• Advanced digital design capabilities using Mac platforms, Adobe Creative Suite, two-dimensional sketching, and three-dimensional apparel tools such as CLO; experience with artificial intelligence design tools such as Vizcom.
• Proficiency with Miro, Smartsheet, email, and Outlook, supported by strong visual presentation, communication, organization, prioritization, and collaboration skills.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

You’ll shape compelling apparel across multiple Nike and Jordan categories in North America. From early concept through final execution, you’ll turn brand and business priorities into distinctive product narratives that are culturally relevant, commercially compelling, and unmistakably Nike.

• Drive creative design for apparel cut-and-sew products across multiple Nike and Jordan categories in North America.
• Translate seasonal direction, consumer insights, and marketplace trends into product and collection narratives delivered with speed and specificity.
• Use color, materials, trims, and hardware to create an elevated, consumer-relevant brand point of view while meeting cost targets.
• Partner with apparel, graphic, footwear, product management, development, pattern making, materials, product make, and sample-room teams to move ideas from concept to execution.
• Monitor prototype development, exchange ideas with cross-functional partners, and support the timely completion of each project.
• Collaborate with Footwear partners to create cohesive, head-to-toe footwear and apparel expressions.
• Build alignment across functions, categories, and geographies while delivering North America-led solutions that honor Nike's heritage and move the brand forward.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form .