Who we are.
Main and Local is a creative design house bringing fun, fresh and innovative products to some of the biggest names in retail, including TJ Maxx, Urban Outfitters, Indigo, Giant Tiger and Five Below to name a few.
We specialize in sleepwear, underwear, socks and novelty gifts—with a knack for creating products that are unexpected, humorous and genuinely make people smile. We’re a small, entrepreneurial team where everyone has a voice, ideas are encouraged, and no two days are quite the same.
Our culture is creative, collaborative and laid-back. We work hard, have fun doing it, and believe great ideas come from great people. We offer a flexible in-office environment, work from home Wednesdays and a generous vacation policy.
If you’re looking to be part of a growing company where your ideas can make a real impact, you’ll fit right in at Main and Local.
About the Role.
We are looking for a highly creative, experienced, and hands-on Senior Designer to join our growing Apparel & Gift team.
This is a key creative role for someone who understands the entire product development process — from initial concept and trend research through design, assortment development, packaging, sampling, production, and final product.
You will work closely with our Sales, Sourcing + Production, and Design teams, while taking ownership of projects and helping lead the creative direction of our product assortments.
The Ideal Candidate.
You are someone who doesn't need to be handed a brief for every step.
You can look at a market opportunity, develop a concept, build the assortment, create the artwork and packaging, communicate the vision to the team, work through samples and production, and ultimately see the finished product on the retail floor.
You are creative, organized, resourceful, commercially aware, and autonomous.
You enjoy working in a small team where everyone plays an important role and where your ideas can have a direct impact on the products we create and the business as a whole.
Most importantly, you are a designer who thinks like a product developer — someone who cares not only about how something looks, but how it works, how it is made, how it is sold, and how it fits into the overall assortment.
Key Responsibilities.
Creative & Product Design
- Develop seasonal and customer-specific product assortments and collections across apparel and gift.
- Concept and design products from initial idea through final production.
- Develop prints, patterns, all-over prints (AOPs), graphics, and artwork for products including but not limited to sleepwear, underwear, loungewear, socks, accessories, and gift items.
- Create packaging concepts, packaging graphics, structural concepts, and production-ready dielines.
- Participate in trend research, competitive analysis, and seasonal ideation.
Product Development & Production
- Work closely with Sourcing and Production to bring designs from concept to finished product.
- Review and approve strike-offs, lab dips, artwork proofs, prototypes, PP samples, packaging samples, and other production submissions.
- Ensure artwork, colors, materials, dimensions, and overall product execution meet the intended design direction.
- Identify and resolve design or production issues throughout the development process.
- Maintain a strong understanding of manufacturing, materials, printing techniques, packaging construction, and production limitations.
- Communicate clearly with factories and suppliers when required.
Assortment Development
- Help establish complete seasonal assortments and product programs.
- Think beyond individual products and develop cohesive collections that work together as a retail assortment.
- Balance creativity with commercial considerations including price point, customer requirements, production capabilities, and target consumer.
- Adapt concepts and collections for different retail customers and channels.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Act as a creative leader and mentor within the design team.
- Take ownership of projects and ensure they move forward efficiently and on schedule.
- Help establish priorities and manage design workload across multiple projects.
- Work collaboratively with Sales, Sourcing, Production, and other internal teams.
- Present and communicate creative concepts clearly to internal teams and customers.
- Contribute to the overall creative direction and evolution of the company's product offering.
What We're Looking For.
- 5+ years of professional design experience, ideally within apparel, accessories, gift, consumer products, or a related industry.
- Strong understanding of the apparel and/or gift product development process from concept to production.
- Experience designing prints, patterns, AOPs, graphics, packaging, and product artwork.
- Strong understanding of packaging design and dielines.
- Experience reviewing and working through production samples, including strike-offs, lab dips, PP samples, and packaging proofs.
- Excellent knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects from beginning to end.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, small-team environment.
- A natural creative drive and passion for developing new products.
Why Join Us?
- Work on a diverse range of apparel, gift, and consumer products.
- Opportunity to work on products developed for major retail customers.
- Be involved in the entire creative and product development process.
- Take ownership of projects and have a meaningful impact on the company's product direction.
- Work within a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and fast-moving team.
- Opportunity to grow into a broader creative leadership role.
- Work from home Wednesdays
- Generous Vacation Policy
- Parking nearby
Pay: $60,000.00-$90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
