Costume Designer - North Mankato, MN 56003

Bring the spirit of ohana to life as you dream up costumes, apparel, accessories, and décor —where creativity runs wild but deadlines never get left behind! In this role, you’ll sketch, spec, and stitch together imaginative products, build stellar tech packs for our intergalactic (and earthly) manufacturing partners, and collaborate with teams across the galaxy to keep every design on mission. We’re looking for a detail-loving designer who can juggle multiple projects, take feedback like a pro, and turn trend research into out-of-this-world creations. If you believe great design is about teamwork, heart, and a little controlled chaos, you’ll fit right into our ohana. 

Wage: $50,000/year

• Create concept designs for costumes, apparel, accessories, props, masks, décor, and other projects as assigned
• Design products that align with target cost parameters and pricing strategies
• Develop comprehensive tech packs that include specifications, illustrations, fabric selection, and product documentation for product developers and oversees manufacturing partners
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Development, Buying, Licensing, and Graphic Design to ensure design intent is maintained through product development
• Apply constructive feedback to refine designs and push creative excellence
• Support and participate in annual product/line ideation
• Research competitor offerings and current fashion and market trends to inform design direction and ideation suggestions
• Successfully oversee multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring on-time delivery in a fast-paced setting

Minimum Required Education and Experience:

• Certificate, Associate degree or higher in Fashion, Design, Fine Arts, or similar discipline,  or equivalent  combination of education and/or experience
• Experience in a product life cycle management software (PLM)
• Previous experience designing apparel and accessories for a broad consumer market (licensed product experience is a plus)

Preferred qualifications: (if any) 

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Associate degree or higher in Fashion, Design, Fine Arts, or similar discipline,  or equivalent  combination of education and/or experience
• 3-5 Years experience designing in costume, apparel, and soft lines industry

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Drawing (digital or hand)
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and Photoshop; InDesign experience is a plus)
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Understanding of tech packs and technical drawing standards
• Creativity, imagination, and problem solving ability
• Keen eye for detail
• Great oral and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate and defend design vision
• Understanding of garment construction and fit
• 3D software knowledge is a plus (Nomad sculpt preferred)
• Knowledge and passion for fashion, pop-culture, and Halloween is a plus!
• Portfolio showcasing design and/or sketch work