In 1927, during a decade of tremendous cultural shifts and progressive thinking, Caleres, Inc. launched a women’s footwear line with the radical idea of combining current fashion with comfort features.
Naturalizer was dubbed “the shoe with the beautiful fit” by advertising guru Leo Burnett in the 1940s. Today’s Naturalizer shoes still have a beautiful fit, and are easy to wear throughout the day.
We are looking for a talented senior designer with progressive thinking who can bring Naturalizer’s sophisticated designs to the modern woman.
We seek people who:
• Lead the design process from trend research to finished product design, including sketching, CAD illustration, material selection and color application
• Maintain strong understanding of consumer and fashion trends through travel, trade shows and competitor research, applying inspiration to new designs
• Provide guidance and inspirations for the design team including all necessary trend, material, and market research into a viable product line
• Provide detailed specifications for sample creation, refining designs to reflect sales feedback and fitting standards, while achieving cost targets
• Cross-functionally collaborate to bring consistent look, feel and strategy into brand consumer stories.
• Partner with VP, Design to promote and support innovation and creativity, balancing evolution of the brand with economic acumen
We seek people with these qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• 8+ years progressive footwear design experience
• Experience leading a team through the design process, while inspiring creativity and innovation
• Track record of designing products and collections that drive business results
• Strong knowledge of formulating color palettes and application of color
• Strong understanding of footwear materials, construction and production processes
• Excellent prioritization and communications skills, including the ability to present concepts to product teams and review boards in a persuasive manner, and communicate responsibilities and timelines to designers on team
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Ability to work well individually, as well as engage in a collaborative team environment
• Strong sketching ability
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator; Knowledge of Photoshop and InDesign
• Experience with 3D design software preferred
• Ability to travel to Asia
