Design Associate, Knits

Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of our hometown, we make beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in.   Coach is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands committed to stretching what’s possible.   A member of the Tapestry family, we are part of a global house of brands that has unwavering optimism and is committed to being innovative and wholly inclusive. Visit Our People page to learn more about Tapestry's commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity. Design Associate, Knits / New York, NY Primary Purpose: The Design Associate, Knits will collaborate on concepts each season that are fashion driven and reflective of the creative vision and Coach aesthetic. You will be a part of a dynamic, creative environment where you will collaborate with talented designers and cross-functional partners in the business. The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in Design to... Partner with the Senior Knitwear Designer to research and develop knit designs from initial swatch development to first prototype. Responsible for timeline adherence, ensuring all products and seasonal concepts deliver to meet key milestones and calendar dates. Create design flats and creative mock ups using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Support on creation of design cards to pass clear information to suppliers. Partner cross-functionally with Merchandising and Product Development. Manage and distribute seasonal line sheets. Support in managing any local development. Manage apprentice and work together to maintain and organize the materials library and vintage knitwear archive. The accomplished individual will possess... Will be organized with the ability to handle multiple priorities at once. Will be flexible with the ability to self-manage. Will have strong interpersonal and communication skills. Will be a collaborative, team player with great initiative. Will have basic knit, embroidery skills and be able to be hands on when development requires it. An outstanding professional will have... Bachelor’s Degree in Design or related field 2 - 4 years’ experience in knits design, a must. Knowledge of knits construction, familiarity with gauges, stiches, yarns as must. Strong working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, Microsoft Word and Excel. Knowledge of design software PointCarre a bonus. Proven ability to sketch and spec. Strong color sense. Fashion/luxury brand experience, a plus.   Our Competencies for All Employees Courage : Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary. Creativity : Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings. Customer Focus : Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect. Dealing with Ambiguity : Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty. Drive for Results : Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.