Lead Apparel Designer

Nike

Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK WITH

This role reports to the North America Local Creation Senior Apparel Design Manager and partners with Apparel Design, Graphic Design, Footwear, Product Management, Development, and global Color, Materials, and Graphics teams. Together, they create connected, head-to-toe expressions that serve North American consumers with speed and specificity.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Nike is looking for a Lead Apparel Designer who can build an emotional connection with North American consumers through narrative, product, and storytelling. This designer brings seasonal creative direction to life with expertise in color, materials, trims, and hardware at both the product and collection level. They translate consumer insights and emerging trends into authentic, culturally relevant design solutions while balancing creative ambition, commercial priorities, and cost targets. The ideal candidate communicates design intent with clarity, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and makes informed decisions with speed and agility. They are a curious, detail-oriented self-starter who can navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and collaborate across disciplines. A strong understanding of fashion, sport, art, culture, streetwear, lifestyle, and performance apparel is essential, along with the ability to elevate diverse perspectives and strengthen an inclusive creative environment.

• A design portfolio is required. Candidates must provide a website link or attach a Portable Document Format file when applying.
• Bachelor’s degree in apparel design or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
• 5+ years of apparel product design experience preferred, including experience in performance, streetwear, or lifestyle apparel. Experience designing for international markets, particularly North America, is also preferred.
• Advanced digital design capabilities using Mac platforms, Adobe Creative Suite, two-dimensional sketching, and three-dimensional apparel tools such as CLO; experience with artificial intelligence design tools such as Vizcom.
• Proficiency with Miro, Smartsheet, email, and Outlook, supported by strong visual presentation, communication, organization, prioritization, and collaboration skills.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

You’ll shape compelling apparel across multiple Nike and Jordan categories in North America. From early concept through final execution, you’ll turn brand and business priorities into distinctive product narratives that are culturally relevant, commercially compelling, and unmistakably Nike.

• Drive creative design for apparel cut-and-sew products across multiple Nike and Jordan categories in North America.
• Translate seasonal direction, consumer insights, and marketplace trends into product and collection narratives delivered with speed and specificity.
• Use color, materials, trims, and hardware to create an elevated, consumer-relevant brand point of view while meeting cost targets.
• Partner with apparel, graphic, footwear, product management, development, pattern making, materials, product make, and sample-room teams to move ideas from concept to execution.
• Monitor prototype development, exchange ideas with cross-functional partners, and support the timely completion of each project.
• Collaborate with Footwear partners to create cohesive, head-to-toe footwear and apparel expressions.
• Build alignment across functions, categories, and geographies while delivering North America-led solutions that honor Nike’s heritage and move the brand forward.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.

NIKE, Inc. is a growth company that looks for team members to grow with it. Nike offers a generous total rewards package, casual work environment, a diverse and inclusive culture, and an electric atmosphere for professional development. No matter the location, or the role, every Nike employee shares one galvanizing mission: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.

NIKE, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

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What You Can Expect

OUR HIRING GAME PLAN

01 Apply

Our teams are made up of diverse skillsets, knowledge bases, inputs, ideas and backgrounds. We want you to find your fit – review job descriptions, departments and teams to discover the role for you.

02 Meet a Recruiter or Take an Assessment If selected for a corporate role, a recruiter will reach out to start your interview process and be your main contact throughout the process. For retail roles, you’ll complete an interactive assessment that includes a chat and quizzes and takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. No matter the role, we want to learn about you – the whole you – so don’t shy away from how you approach world-class service and what makes you unique.

03 Interview Go into this stage confident by doing your research, understanding what we are looking for and being prepared for questions that are set up to learn more about you, and your background.

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