Designer - Sustainable Fashion

Make an impact on our local, Melbourne based sustainable fashion busines
- Highly collaborative, family centric and supportive team environment
- Join a workplace genuinely committed to Work Life Balance

**About The Role**

We are looking for an experienced, creative, innovative and self motivated Designer to bring timeless, design led, inspirational and sustainable apparel & accessories collections to market that are loved and embraced by all our customers.

Your responsibilities will include:

- Closely partner with planning & sustainability teams to design, drive and develop 2 beautiful commercial seasonal collections per annum in line with the vision & inspiration articulated by the Head of Creative
- Compile mood boards, sketches, colour palettes, fabrications and trend forecasting
- Confidently utilise software to sketch garments true to form, clearly depicting the product, specifications and construction details before handover to production team
- In collaboration with the production team, own the development process, including management to critical path timelines, maintenance of ‘single source of truth’ product data within our PLM (WFX) and support fitting samples
- Embrace new technology into the design workflow, sharing your knowledge and expertise with the broader team to continually improve workflow
- Continually evaluate and refine the design process to improve efficiency and effectiveness
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and other external partners
- Nurture, support & develop a team of 3 including 2 Design Assistants (Accessories + Apparel) and a Graphic Designer, Prints
- Foster a collaborative, supportive, and creative team culture that encourages innovation and growth

**What We’ll Love About You**
You have a love of fashion and have a positive, proactive, solutions focussed mindset. You come equipped with at least 5 years’ experience in a similar, fashion apparel design role, with the ability to embrace new technology (3D design a bonus) and a solid understanding of garment construction, sustainable fabrications & circular design.

You take a great deal of pride in your ability to operate with a high degree of organisation, speed, attention to detail and time management in line with the design calendar. You’re tech savvy, you embrace & immerse yourself in new technology, and know Adobe Illustrator like the back of your hand.

Your values and design aesthetic are aligned to ours - you’re focussed on sustainability both personally and professionally, and you love nothing more than being part of a collaborative, supportive and nurturing team where everyone lends a hand to get the job done. You communicate seamlessly both within your team and across functions, ensuring everyone remains on the same page.

**Who are you?**
You are a perfect match with:

- Minimum 5 years’ experience in a similar role
- Tertiary qualification in Fashion Design or related field (desired)
- Experience utilising design software including 3D design (desired) and adobe suite to creating high quality CADs and tech packs
- Extensive knowledge of garment construction, fabrications, and trims
- Exceptional organisation, attention to detail, prioritisation, time & quality management with the ability to seamlessly work to critical deadlines
- Ability to build strong relationships and communicate effectively (verbally, written and visually) within the team, across the business, and with our supply partners
- Ability to embrace collaboration and working together as one team
- Experience using WFX (desired) or similar PLM (essential)

In return we offer:

- Salary and benefits commensurate with experience
- Access to our generous annual profit share incentive scheme
- Genuine commitment to work life balance
- Highly collaborative, family centric and supportive work environment
- Market leading product discounts for you, your family & friends
- Your birthday off every year
- 2 days paid volunteer leave every year

**How To Apply**
- a copy of your folio demonstrating your design handwriting and collection of work aligned to our brand and aesthetic

This is a full-time role based in our Preston office in Melbourne, as such we are unable to consider sponsorship or remote work for this role.

**About ELK**
A pioneer of Australian design, ELK was established in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. The ELK aesthetic holds a unique place within the international fashion landscape. With a highly considered approach by brand founders Marnie and Adam, ELK collections resonate with their global audience through sustainable and ethical practices, design refinement, trend curation and an intellect that is innately their own. Their sculptural accessories, hand-made leather and ready-to-wear collections define their artful vision while their devotion to ethical and sustainable practices has endured them as a leader in the practice of responsible innovation for the fashion industry.

At ELK, we nurture an