Company Description
Michael Stars, founded in 1986, is a women-led and family-owned business committed to creating timeless, quality fashion essentials designed for comfort and longevity. Based in Los Angeles, the brand produces the majority of its garments locally, ensuring high-quality production and supporting the community with fair wages and economic opportunities. Known for originating the iconic one-sized tee, Michael Stars has expanded into a diverse collection of wardrobe essentials. Additionally, the Michael Stars Foundation has been a prominent supporter of grassroots organizations promoting equality for over 15 years.
Job Summary: The Technical Designer works closely with Design, Imports and Quality Control, to take all styles from development through to production.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop complete Tech packs for first proto with details specifications, fabrications, and technical drawings from Designer’s initial sketch
- Work closely with Design to develop the fit and specifications for samples
- Manage fitting process by making appropriate fit/construction adjustment and communicating changes vendors
- Measure, review construction, sewing & check out trim, take photos of samples, etc. before fitting from PROTO to TOP
- Work closely with the Import team
- Maintain consistent fit, construction, grade rules and tolerances
- Provide graded specs to factory once approved to production
- Research and resolve fit, pattern and construction issues
- Participate in import fit sessions
- Spec samples
- Request/Archive approved pattern sets in DXF for domestic team
- Report damaged production goods
- Update PDM and archive styles into shared folder for production team
- Oversee and approve T.O.P and first production with QC team
- Maintain professional relationships with manufactures, vendors, and suppliers
- Maintain/Update Bill of Material of PDM based on pattern card, sewing instruction, design details, etc.
- Release tech packs,
- Fill out “Information Request Form” and special “Attribute Form” upon merch and sales request
- Forward approved TOP sample with final corrections to QC team
- Advise and teach QC team how to correctly measure current and new styles
- Direct solutions on problems in sampling and/or production to vendor and QC
- Perform other related duties as required
- Knowledgeable with 1st patterns/drapes
- Create a first development pattern for prototype samples as aligned at design pass-off by draping, drafting, or digitizing a pattern when needed.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of technical design experience and working with sweaters
- Associates degree in technical design/product development
- Proficient in developing garment specifications, fit, grading and construction.
- Proficient in Illustrator, Photoshop, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat
- Working knowledge of Web PDM useful
- Experience in patternmaking a plus
- Work full-time 32 hours per week plus overtime as needed
- Must work well under pressure, meet multiple and sometimes competing deadlines
