Designer Apparel - Golf
Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization
The Designer Apparel creates original, consumer-relevant and commercially viable designs for the adidas Golf Apparel range, with primary ownership of assigned categories and seasonal product stories. The role translates category briefs and design direction into complete product concepts that reflect adidas design language while meeting consumer, performance, fit, cost and creation requirements.
The role manages the design process for assigned Apparel products from research and concept development through technical handoff, fitting reviews, prototyping and commercialization. Working closely with Product Marketing, Product Development, Materials Development and cross-functional creation teams, the Designer Apparel helps build a cohesive golf collection across Apparel, Footwear and Accessories.
Key Responsibilities
Apparel Design and Creative Execution
- Research and interpret golf, sport, lifestyle, fashion, consumer and competitive trends relevant to the Apparel category.
- Create concepts, sketches, graphics, color direction, material ideas and presentations for assigned Apparel categories.
- Lead seasonal design execution for assigned categories, including Women’s Apparel and additional categories as business needs require.
- Translate approved concepts into complete design packages and technical handoffs, including CADs, graphics, color applications, material selections, trim direction, specifications and construction intent.
- Apply adidas design language, brand standards, legal guidance and sustainability expectations to all work.
- Present design concepts, seasonal stories and category recommendations at key creation and milestone meetings.
Product Creation Partnership
- Partner with Product Marketing to ensure design solutions address consumer needs, category strategy, product briefs and target price points.
- Partner with Product Development and Materials Development to resolve feasibility, cost, quality, fit, performance and manufacturing considerations while protecting design intent.
- Participate in fittings, prototype reviews, sample evaluations and product creation milestones, providing clear and timely design feedback.
- Manage assigned design workload and deliverables against the seasonal calendar and key milestones.
- Maintain accurate design files, specifications, approvals and presentation materials in relevant systems.
Innovation and Collaboration
- Explore new silhouettes, material innovations, construction methods, graphics, fits and performance solutions for golf apparel.
- Use athlete, consumer and marketplace insights to improve product performance, functionality and visual appeal.
- Contribute to cohesive cross-category design stories across Apparel, Footwear and Accessories.
- Build productive working relationships with internal partners, suppliers and external creative resources.
Decision Scope and Accountability
- Own design execution and recommendations for assigned Apparel products within approved category and design direction.
- Accountable for creative quality, technical completeness, milestone readiness and accurate handoff of design deliverables.
- Escalate design feasibility, fit, cost, sourcing, legal or timeline risks to Design leadership.
Key Relationships
Core Partners
- Senior Design Manager and broader Golf Design team
- Apparel Product Marketing
- Apparel Product Development
- Materials Development
Broader Network
- Sourcing, suppliers, innovation, testing and quality partners
- Brand Marketing, Sports Marketing, athletes and consumer insight partners
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong apparel design capability with an original and consumer-focused point of view.
- Proficiency in the end-to-end apparel design process from research and concept development through technical handoff and commercialization.
- Strong understanding of garment construction, fit, materials, trims, color and manufacturing processes.
- Strong sketching, visualization, color, material and presentation capability.
- Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and relevant 2D or 3D design tools.
- Ability to balance creativity with cost, quality, manufacturability and timing.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills with cross-functional teams.
Requisite Education & Experience / Minimum Qualifications
- University degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Design or a related field.
- 4+ years of professional apparel design experience.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating concept development, creative vision and execution within performance, sport or lifestyle apparel.
- Experience working with cross-functional product creation teams and suppliers.
- Experience with fittings, garment construction and technical design processes.
- Fluent English, written and spoken.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at adidas means championing individual uniqueness and cultivating a culture of belonging in which everyone can create at their best. We embrace diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and seek to create a workforce that reflects our consumers and communities.
- adidas offers robust and progressive medical, including HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer funding or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) options, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, adoption, with surrogate and fertility support, short and long-term disability, and basic life and AD&D insurance, which can be supplemented with employee-paid coverage. Employees are able to enroll in adidas’ 401k plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match. Full-time employees are eligible for education assistance and generous Leave policies including 14 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Employees are eligible to earn an annual bonus based on both company and personal performance. Employees accrue prorated flexible time off in the amount .4388 hours per day that increases with years of service, twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year and Service Time Off during milestone years.
- The anticipated low and high end of the base pay range for this position is $103,500 - $118,500. Actual salary will be based on various factors, such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills and competencies, proficiency for the role.
- At adidas we offer a Hybrid work policy which requires attendance in the office Monday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Friday each week. For work requiring a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation, in-office attendance is required even on Friday. The working location of this position is Carlsbad, California.
- Though our teammates hail from all corners of the world, our working language is English.
At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.
– Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You –
By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.