Assistant Designer - Own Brand

Established in 1952 and online since 1999, Childrensalon is a fast-growing, award-winning, forward-thinking retailer, specialising in dressing children beautifully.  

Childrensalon believes there is beauty in diversity and difference, as resembled by our wonderful team. Our vision of being the most inclusive, diverse, and humane company is very important to us as is our culture of fairness, openness, and transparency. We are committed to the career progression and advancement of every team member as well as welcoming the best external talent in the industry. We offer a fun, challenging, collaborative, family-oriented work environment in our fast-paced and rapidly growing business and in turn will provide you with the opportunity to grow your career and make a difference. 

We are recruiting for a talented and enthusiastic Assistant Designer to join our growing Own Brand team.

Reporting to the Senior Designer, you will be supporting the design team with the development of multi product collections from initial concept through design development to production and launch.

This role will be hybrid with some remote working and some days based at our Head Office in Tunbridge Wells.

Responsibilities:

• Assisting the design team with all aspects from concept to final development of the Own Brand collections, in line with critical path timelines, brand values and strategic direction.
• Assisting with the production of visual range sheets and highly detailed technical garment design packs – responsible for ensuring these are collated, updated and available for all internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaboratively working with the Product Development, Merchandising & Technical teams to assist in delivering design briefs and sampling requests in line with critical path requirements.
• Communicating with Product Developers & Merchandisers, understanding and identifying best and worst selling lines for the brands, ensuring learnings are captured and available to be applied to future designs.
• Responsible for the organisation and updating of colour, fabric, and trims libraries: both actual and virtual.
• Researching seasonal brand direction and identifying key trends: producing directional mood, product, and print/graphic boards, working closely under the direction of the senior designers.
• Working collaboratively as a design team, producing relevant fashion forecasting and competitor research & reports, identifying customer behaviours, and defining brand DNA’s.

About you:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in fashion design with at least 1 to 2 years’ experience as a childrenswear Assistant Designer, preferably within the luxury sector, with relative experience gained working on multiple product types.
• Knowledgeable of the childrenswear market, customer facing and possessing an elevated design aesthetic, which naturally aligns to our luxury brands and consumer.
• Excellent eye for product with a finesse and an attention to detail within garment finishing, fabric, and trim development.
• Passionate for childrenswear, with the ability to translate concepts into unique, innovative, and commercial product ranges.
• Creative, technical & commercial skills and experience within the designing of print, embellishment, graphics, and branding.
• Excellent understanding of garment construction, garment fit, fabric, colour, and trend within childrenswear.
• Highly proficient in Adobe software, especially Photoshop & Illustrator, with strong Excel and PowerPoint skills.
• Strong communication skills, with an ability to multi-task and adapt in a fast-paced, team focused environment.
• Well organised, detail orientated and possessing excellent time management skills with deadline adherence.
• Demonstrating initiative and self-motivation, with the enthusiasm to develop and grow, whilst adapting positively to complex challenges and proactively to change.
• Experience of PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems would be highly beneficial.

Childrensalon offers a highly competitive salary, company pension plan, health plan, fully subsidised gym membership, in-house yoga classes, company shuttle, generous holiday allowance and company discount.

Childrensalon is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or team member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

If you are interested and think you would thrive in this role, please apply to careers@childrensalon.com with your CV and covering letter about why you would like to work for us. Previous applicants need not apply.