CULT GAIA

POSITION: Entry Level – Assistant Footwear Designer/Technical Designer

DEPARTMENT: Design

REPORTS TO: Senior Footwear Designer/Technical Designer

POSITION SUMMARY: The Assistant Footwear Designer/Technical Designer will report to and work directly with the Senior Footwear Designer/Technical Designer and will be responsible for assisting in the ideation, creation and development of innovative, beautiful, and comfortable footwear that will help evolve and drive the Cult Gaia business.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist Senior Footwear Designer/Technical Designer in designing from concept to creation a full range of footwear.
• Assist Senior Footwear Designer/Technical Designer in researching and identify trend directions; trend/vintage shop, pull inspirational photos and review design concepts.
• Create and mount design boards for each season showcasing footwear inspiration, silhouettes, materials, colors, and sketches.
• Create and mount line sheets for each season; ensure accuracy of line sheets for every season throughout development process.
• Maintain thorough knowledge of the line (silhouettes, materials, and design details) and is responsible for tracking changes/additions.
• Design according to brand aesthetic, new and inspiring concepts, emerging trends, seasonal story, sku plan and sales needs; ensure timely execution of product development calendar.
• Select and review raw materials and trims; ensure maintenance of library.
• Approve lab dips with product development team and ensure consistency with material and color standards.
• Assist Senior Footwear Designer/Technical Designer in translating design intent into product technical specifications so all information is clearly documented and communicated with factories, our product development, and our production teams.
• Create full-scale technical specs when necessary, using the latest Adobe Illustrator and CAD tools Illustrator plugin version to clarify proportions and shape; ensure accuracy of tech packs in Dropbox throughout development process.
• Follow up weekly with factories via email to ensure we receive development samples on time.
• Assist in reviewing development samples for corrections, including aesthetics, dimensions, hand feel, fit, functionality, comfort, and workmanship.
• Assist is creating detail charts once all initial protos have been reviewed, commented on and SMS is ready to be requested.
• Keep all Ai and pdf files organized and labeled properly in Dropbox.
• Maintain established standards, details (including hardware), and integrity of the product.
• Tag/label and organize all development samples by season.
• Help keep sample closet, archive closet, hardware, and material libraries clean and organized.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be in Los Angeles.
• Must be in the office 4 days a week.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accessories Design, Fashion Design, or a related field.
• 2-4 years’ work experience in design/technical design focused on footwear.
• Portfolio showcasing footwear design/technical design work.
• Ability to sketch freeform renderings as well as technical drawings.
• Tech savvy with strong working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; ability to CAD in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of the footwear design, technical design, and development process from inception through production.
• Intermediate knowledge of industry construction standards and manufacturing, including materials.
• Experience in concept creation and knowledge of fashion and market trends with an understanding of Cult Gaia product aesthetic, image, and quality.
• Keen attention to detail, initiative, and organizational skills.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, fashion environment with minimal supervision.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and resourcefulness.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Humble, honest, flexible, and approachable.
• Positive, constructive, solution focused, hardworking team player; none of us are successful without the help and collaboration of our team members.

CULT GAIA

Job Summary:

The Product Development Manager for Accessories & Footwear is responsible for overseeing the entire product development lifecycle for a range of accessories and footwear products within the company. This role requires a strategic and creative thinker who can lead cross-functional teams to bring innovative and market-leading products to fruition. The Product Development Manager will collaborate closely with design, manufacturing, sourcing, and marketing teams to ensure the successful development and launch of new products.

Key Responsibilities:

· Work alongside the Senior Director to develop and select seasonally appropriate materials, trims, and coordinate sample development based on the overall brand vision and strategy.

· Oversee the Maintenance of all seasonal Design WIPs for all categories- Accessories, Handbags, Footwear

· Ensuring accuracy of all materials and components data entered in the PLM system (WFX) including leather and fabric detail sheet information, HTS codes, SKU info for ERP integration.

· Manage the seasonal raw material WIPs to ensure on-time delivery of components.

· Order all SMS materials for both divisions and communicate weekly status updates to team.

· Responsible for compiling all raw material costing, analyzing CBDs, and negotiating pricing with Sr Director

· Oversee on time approvals of Pre-Production and TOP samples.

· Manage work-in-progress communication with suppliers and factories, ensuring that deadlines are being met.

· Review and recommend changes to processes and techniques to ensure that product quality and productivity are maintained.

· Manage product development team of 3 direct reports.

REQUIREMENTS:

· Bachelor’s degree preferred.

· Minimum 5 years of full-time work experience in a design or fashion environment

· Management experience required.

· A willingness to initiate change as the company grows in order to streamline processes, improve efficiency and facilitate the growth of the company.

· Proficient skills in Microsoft Office

· Ideal candidate has experience in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools.

· Strong attention to details.

CULT GAIA

Product Development Assistant- Accessories

Cult Gaia is a women’s fashion brand based in Los Angeles. We are looking for an intelligent, hard-working do-er to assist the Accessories team with the development and production of our bags and jewelry. This role is critical to executing our beautiful creative concepts and bringing them to life.

This position reports into the Director of Product Development & Production.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Development-

Entering all style data into PLM system (WFX) including sketches, product dimensions, HTS codes, material content for all Accessories categories

Creating and updating line sheets throughout development season

Ensuring seasonal boards are up to date on a weekly basis

Create and manage the raw material database

Assists with all raw materials sourcing and color approvals

Production-

Support Accessories Director with prototype and SMS sample comments, update tech packs as needed

Manage work-in-progress communication with factories, ensuring that deadlines are being met

Inputting all pre-production and TOP comments into PLM system

Sample Management-

Check samples in and out for all photoshoots

Ensuring all samples are checked in and tagged

Assists with PR sample requests

Fills out Product Knowledge sheets for wholesale and e-commerce

Assists with tracking and shipping out product

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Minimum 2 years of full-time work experience in a design or fashion environment

Proficient skills in Adobe Illustrator and Microsoft Office

Ideal candidate has experience in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools

Strong attention to detail

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Independent, pro-active work ethic

Available to work evenings and weekends during peak seasons and markets

CULT GAIA