Associate Color & On Product Marketing Designer

$70,000 - $80,000/Yr

Aeropostale - New York, NY

Full-time - Mid Level

New York, NY

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers

About the position

The Associate Color & On Product Marketing Designer plays a crucial role in supporting the Aeropostale and Lucky Brand Design teams by creating and managing seasonal color palettes and on-product marketing materials that align with the overall design direction of the brands. This position requires collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Design and Production, to ensure that the seasonal color palettes and marketing materials are trend-driven and brand-appropriate. The designer will be responsible for managing workflows related to these design areas, ensuring adherence to the product development calendar, and achieving business goals. In terms of color design, the designer will research trends and color stories from various sources, including runway shows, brand competitors, forecasting services, and social media. They will develop and present market-informed points of view on seasonal color palettes for both Lucky Brand and Aeropostale, catering to both men's and women's lines. The designer will work closely with the VP's and Design Directors to establish seasonal color palettes that meet business needs while pushing forward color trends. Additionally, they will redevelop the annual fashion neutrals palette 1-2 times a year and maintain a keen eye for market shifts. For color materials management, the designer will build chipped palettes and create palette kits for the Design, Merchandising, and Production teams. They will also support the Design team in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system by maintaining palette libraries and seasonal color tracking documents. The designer may provide occasional training on color systems for new hires and will manage and refresh color supplies for the design teams. Furthermore, they will assist the Design team by color matching various bought samples and swatches. In terms of on-product marketing creation, specifically for Aeropostale, the designer will create marketing artwork mechanicals in Adobe Illustrator from established brand templates and design variations as needed. They will ensure that all artwork is consistent and aligns with the brand identity, acting as a liaison between design, concept, and marketing teams. The designer will also manage the workflow for on-product marketing, sharing artwork request schedules with design teams and logging all artwork numbers and descriptions in Excel for documentation purposes. They will partner with the trims PD manager to ensure all artwork is passed to suppliers and entered into the PLM system, and will update marketing guides in InDesign seasonally, ensuring correct placement and usage callouts. The designer will approve and comment on supplier digital artwork proofs and physical trims, requiring a general understanding of printing and color execution.

Responsibilities

• Research trend and color stories from runway, brand competitors, forecasting services, and pop culture/social media.
• Develop and present market-informed POV on seasonal color palettes for both Lucky Brand and Aeropostale (mens and womens).
• Establish seasonal color palettes for both brands by collaborating with brands VP's and Design Directors.
• Collaborate closely with concept designers and VP of design to capture cohesive color stories that enhance seasonal concept themes.
• Redevelop annual fashion neutrals palette 1-2 times a year.
• Build chipped palettes and create palette kits for Design, Merch, and Production teams seasonally.
• Create digital representation of palettes and support Design team in PLM system by maintaining palette libraries and seasonal color tracking documents.
• Manage, maintain, and refresh color supplies for design teams.
• Support Design team by color matching various bought samples and swatches.
• Create on product marketing artwork mechanicals in Illustrator from established brand templates and create design variations as needed.
• Ensure all artwork is consistent and brand-right, serving as a liaison between design, concept, and marketing teams.
• Share artwork request schedule with design teams and follow up with team leads to ensure timely requests and artwork completion.
• Log all artwork numbers and descriptions in Excel chart for documentation.
• Partner with trims PD manager to ensure all artwork is passed to suppliers and entered into PLM.
• Update marketing guides in InDesign seasonally, ensuring placement and usage callouts are correct.
• Approve and comment on supplier digital artwork proofs and physical trims.

Requirements

• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Excel, and Microsoft Teams.
• Understanding of youth and adult markets and how they pertain to color and on product marketing design and strategy.
• Strong color sense with ability to filter by brand and end use.
• An eye for graphic design and layout.
• Basic knowledge of trims & printing execution; background in clothing design is a plus.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workflows and shift priorities based on changes in calendars.
• Detail-oriented with a strong sense of follow-through.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in product lifecycle management (PLM).
• Knowledge of color materials management.
• Familiarity with digital marketing strategies.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan
• Employee discount program
• Flexible work schedule