Design Assistant
At Kotn, we’re reimagining the way our everyday items are made and purchased, beginning with your wardrobe, setting a new standard for social impact and traceability. Founded in February 2015, Kotn has been featured in over 80 publications such as New York Times, GQ, Vogue, Elle, and The Wall St. Journal. Kotn was founded in Toronto by three best friends, who were fed up with compromising on quality, design, sustainability, brand experience, and price.
Kotn is seeking a driven, passionate and talented Design Assistant to support the Design team in all aspects of product design & development. The right candidate will thrive in a fast-paced product focused environment and will be open to wearing multiple hats, shifting between creative and administrative tasks supporting the Design team in all aspects of product creation.
To be effective in this role, the right candidate will have a vibrant taste level and ethos that truly reflect the Kotn brand. This position is hands-on and will require being in our Kotn Toronto office/studio environment 4 to 5 days per week.
What you’ll be working on:
Tech Pack Creation and Product Execution Assistance (60%)
- Technical Pack Creation in our PLM system - creating style numbers, product descriptions, fit development stage, fabric and trim.
- Illustrator Sketching – proportional, accurate and clear technical sketches, showing detailed knowledge of construction and garment design knowledge. Speed in technical sketching an asset.
- Ensure product components and libraries are organized and up to date on the PLM system.
- Participate in the completion of Bill of Materials in the Technical Pack as directed by Apparel Designer. Ensure accuracy and relevant updates as needed.
Design Team Support - Record and Sample Maintenance (25%)
- Organize samples, trims, lab dips and prototypes for approval as requested.
- Responsible for record maintenance and filing for all styles, as required by the Apparel Designer.
- Support in Internal Presentation preparations, including sample tagging, organization, steaming etc.
- Organize and maintain samples, prototype, fit samples and production samples.
- Support in sample maintenance of photoshoot samples as required.
Research and Style Development and Iteration (15%)
- Creative Research for design ideas in keeping with the Kotn Ethos
- Competitive Research under the direction of the Apparel Designer
- Support cross functional teams as requested during busy times – learn about Technical fit, product development and merchandising.
What you’ll bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or equivalent
- 0 to 3 years of experience in an apparel design environment.
- Highly proficient with Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Basic computer software skills including Google Smart Sheet and Chat GPT
- Keen eye for product design details and quality.
- Knowledge and experience with textiles, graphic and color is an asset.
- Strong communication skills, and ability to communicate concepts with technical sketches.
- Ability to contribute and generate ideas with team members.