Freelance Cold Weather Designer

Collection 18 is looking for a talented and hard-working Freelance Cold Weather with a strong eye for color, a passion for textiles, and the ability to thrive in a creative, fast-paced environment. Candidates should have experience within, or closely related to, the Cold Weather Accessories category and be comfortable supporting trend research, product development, CAD/coloration, technical design, and presentation needs across branded, licensed, and private-label businesses. Key Tasks/Role:·      Create CADs, colorways, plaids, patterns, and textile designs across multiple Cold Weather categories.·      Partner closely with Cold Weather Directors, Design, and Sales to develop product appropriate for different customers, distribution channels, price points, and timelines.·      Support ongoing product development, revisions, presentations, and market preparation while maintaining strong attention to detail and deadlines.·      Assist with merchandising and preparation of product for customer presentations and market as needed. Candidate Requirements:·      Excellent color sense is essential, with the ability to develop commercial, trend-right color palettes and colorways across multiple product categories.·      Strong background in Cold Weather accessories and/or textile design, with experience working across knit and woven product in preferred.·      Strong CAD and coloration skills, including experience creating and recoloring plaids, patterns, prints, and textile designs.·      Experience developing gifting items, packaged gift concepts, and coordinated product sets is strongly preferred.·      Must be highly proficient in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and comfortable working with layered PSD files and Illustrator artwork.·      Strong understanding of textiles, fabrications, yarns, patterns, and current fashion trends.·      Ability to take creative direction and independently execute concepts, revisions, colorations, and presentation-ready CADs.•      Experience working within branded, licensed, and/or private-label fashion accessories is preferred.•      Strong communication and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities while meeting deadlines.•      Must be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with the broader design team.•      NYC-based or able to come into our NYC office as needed to review physical product, materials, and project direction is preferred.•      As this is a freelance role, candidates must have access to their own computer and required Adobe software and be able to bring their laptop when working from our NYC office as needed.