Associate Designer, Handbags

Overview:

Veronica Beard is looking for an Associate Designer for Handbags, with a strong background in bags, small leather goods and belt design. This position reports to the SVP, Design and is based in our NYC office (4-5 days a week in office).

Responsibilities:

• Understand the Veronica Beard brand aesthetic and translate it into the new handbag product category.
• Oversee seasonal conceptualization and creation of design concepts for bags, small leather goods and belts.
• Take a concept and animate it to fit the seasonal aesthetic. Also, “platform” a design and translate cross category design themes into the product.
• Researching global markets and competitive shopping to identify new trends, novelty techniques, branding techniques, materials, trim details and hardware inspiration.
• Collaborate closely with cross-category design teams to ensure synergy across the overall brand. Fostering design synergy across all categories inclusive of our footwear licensee partner is paramount.
• Diversifying all bag shape silhouettes, to ensure we are offering medium to small shapes to address multiple end uses.
• Understanding hardware design and development and its contribution to overall design intent.
• Innovating belt buckle hardware and bag hardware.
• Working with Costing and Product Development teams to ensure best practices with design engineering and allocation.
• Work with Materials team to ensure cost-effective materials and leather are being presented.
• Responsible for product design process including market research, mood board creation, designing, sketching, spec’ing and function.
• Oversee product from concept right up to production and communicate any changes to the appropriate cross-functional partners.
• Maintain a library of core and seasonal product offerings, master specs, and design standards
• Collaborate with Merchandising and Technical Design teams to finalize the line each season in tight deadlines.
• Set a creative tone to inspire ideas/new concepts
• Conceptually visualize and build a line and groups of bags that share common design threads

Qualifications:

• 3-4 years of accessories design experience.
• Must have full scale patternmaking and excellent technical drawing skills.
• Strong technical skills, as it relates to leather goods construction.
• Excellent proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and CAD.
• Proficiency in print/pattern/repeat designs.
• Experience communicating the development with factories.
• Excellent design communication skills.
• Excellent sense of style and color
• A strong understanding of the Veronica Beard brand and ethos.
• The ability to sketch hardware specs and renderings is a plus.
• Strong ability to multitask, prioritize multiple projects at once and manage competing calendar deadlines.
• Excellent organizational, time management, communication, and presentation skills
• Thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

The salary range for this role is between $70,000 and $75,000. The relevant salary range will vary depending on wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to, skill sets, experience, training, degrees, and certifications. The salary range is just one component of our total compensation offerings, which consist of a comprehensive benefits package as well as a short-term incentive program, clothing allowance, and merchandise discounts.

At Veronica Beard, we are committed to creating and maintaining a workplace where every single employee can thrive and feel valued. As a company, we firmly believe that there is strength in diversity. We seek to recruit talent from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds and are actively seeking candidates with a dedication to advancing equity, inclusion, and racial and social justice in their work.

Veronica Beard is committed to an environment of mutual respect and is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer. No employee or applicant is discriminated against because of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.