Apparel Graphic Designer

$65,000 - $72,000/Yr

Hot Topic

Full-time

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers

About the position

As an Apparel Graphic Designer at Hot Topic, you will play a crucial role in bringing our Pop Culture designs to life through innovative and original graphics for our apparel line. This full-time position is based at our headquarters in City of Industry, California, where you will collaborate closely with our Print on Demand (POD) and Direct to Retail (DTR) design teams. Your primary responsibility will be to conceptualize and create eye-catching designs that resonate with our customers, all while working at a fast pace to meet the demands of the market. In this role, you will work under the guidance of the design manager and the design team to produce original graphics and artwork for both licensed and non-licensed apparel. You will be expected to contribute ideas regarding color schemes and placement, ensuring that each design aligns with current trends and customer preferences. Additionally, you will oversee the artwork process from initial design creation to print-ready production, making recommendations for re-coloring existing artwork as needed. Staying current with market trends and understanding the preferences of our target audience is essential. You will need to have a geek-level knowledge of Hot Topic's licensed partners, including major franchises like Disney, Marvel, and Warner Brothers. Your ability to create graphics that appeal to our customer base will be key to your success in this position. You will also be responsible for creating artwork call outs and delivering them to vendors, ensuring that all designs are executed to the highest standards.

Responsibilities

• Create original apparel graphics under the direction of the design manager and design team.
• Design original graphics and artwork, contributing ideas regarding color and placement.
• Create artwork call outs and deliver them to vendors as directed by the design manager.
• Make recommendations and changes on re-coloring existing artwork.
• Stay current with market trends and customer preferences.
• Create graphics for both licensed and non-licensed apparel.
• Oversee the artwork process from design creation to print-ready production.

Requirements

• Geek-level knowledge of Hot Topic licensed partners (Disney, Marvel, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, Lucasfilm, Studio Ghibli, etc.).
• Minimum 2-3 years of hands-on experience in graphic arts and apparel design.
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe CS6 Programs (Photoshop, Illustrator) is required.
• Formal training and/or education in graphic arts required; Bachelor's degree in Design or Graphic Design preferred.
• Ability to effectively use computer design applications and hand-drawn illustrations for mixed media artwork.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to work in a team environment and provide direct feedback.
• Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and cope well with change under pressure.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of the Direct to Garment (DTG) process and experience is a plus.
• Experience designing for licensed apparel.
• Experience in the Streetwear industry is a plus.
• Ability to quickly design strong trend-based graphics.