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Lead Designer

Creative & Design

I was introduced to skateboarding and snowboarding at an early age and, naturally, picked up surfing in the Northwest. I've always had an interest and curiosity in how things work and how I could create them myself. Knowing that I wanted to be in some realm of design, my college education led me through the ins and outs of Apparel and everything related to it. I would call myself a passionate designer always in pursuit of solving problems with creative solutions.

A freelance endeavor with the goal to aid clients in creating user-centric, fun and innovative products through modern problem solving and applying current trends.

Product Designer / Developer

- Create original designs & artwork that is in line with the Coal Brand Aesthetic
- Collaborate with the product developer & brand manager, presenting your designs and taking creative feedback
- Collaborate with design team on the creative direction and inspiration for seasonal themes, collaborations, photoshoots and campaigns.
- Responsible to help with seasonal tech packs, art sizing and strike offs comment with graphic designers.
- Work closely with Product Team to maintain calendar deadlines.

- Designs and develops backpacks and bag items
- Conceptualizes new products
- Works in conjunction with the Design Team, Technical Team and overseas personnel
- Ensures that all sample designs are engineered for production efficiency
- Prepares all technical specifications and drawings for overseas sample development

Product Designer | Packs and Bags

• Lead designer for Men's, Accessories and Packs/Bags.
• Provide design/concept boards to communicate design and seasonal direction for apparel graphics and textiles.
• Create artwork that illustrates design concepts and tell stories to the Marketing, Merchandising, and Sales teams.
• Create and maintain all art files and transfer correct information to cross functional teams.
• Compile tech packs and other materials to handoff to Development for sampling and manufacturing.
• Lead fit sessions and product reviews for all prototypes, photo samples, size runs, salesman samples and pre-production samples to ensure quality and fit that meets design standards and overall brand objectives.
• Demonstrate expert-level knowledge of current trends, color, technology, and other design influencers.
• Partner with apparel and accessories designers to ensure that graphics stories and individual graphics/prints enhance the product aesthetic and fit with the overall design.

Apparel Designer

• Contribute to designing a line that reflects the aesthetic of the company, based on overall creative and seasonal direction and a good understanding of the market and the business.
• Shop the market and trend resources for design inspiration (materials, color, silhouettes, etc.).
• Create seasonal design presentation and product boards for meetings with senior members of design, and keep them updated with product developments throughout the season.
• Collaborate with Merchandising and Development to ensure accurate and timely sample development, quality, and meet price objectives.
• Prepare tech packages for the Development team that includes construction details, sketches, fabrications, trim sheets, and colors.
• Attend fittings and provide fit comments to the Development team.

Associate Apparel Designer

• Playing an important role within the product team by creating high performance and top tier quality athletic products while maintaining strong, collaborative relationships between in house designers, developers and PLM's, as well as our international product team.
• Review product samples against spec packs including all prototypes, salesman samples, pre-production, and photo samples to the highest level of accuracy to their specifications. All of this while working along side with the design team to ensure that design direction is met, and with the costing team to maintain FOB consistency and hit season targets.
• Attend and organize multiple fittings while efficiently documenting product and material/trim updates including fit changes, fabric/trim updates, and any comments in updating the product. BOM updates are made and document in an organized fashion for both product and design teams to reference.
• Work side by side with both design and materials team in the picking, choosing, and testing the quality and characteristics of material and trims. High levels of attention are also given strike-offs and lab dips, and comparing them to the company and season standards.

Associate Spec Engineer

Contract position as Designer, Developer, and Patternmaker - working side by side with the owner for overall design changes and decisions.

• Create a one of a kind, customizable apparel pattern for use in custom outerwear manufacturing. Pattern block was created and fitted through multiple fitting sessions in attempt to acheive the perfect 'freeride' fit for customers.
• Headed up the overall design process from sketches to final garment design. Silhouettes, features, and trim functions were designed to accomodate riders during use, as well as the ability to be fully customized.
• Developed spec packs and visiting factory on a regular basis to work through the prototype stages. Problem solved with fabric/trim availability as well as the overall capabilities of the factory.

Designer / Developer / Patternmaker

Find out detailed information about Josh Vester, Lead Designer in Seattle, WA

Josh Vester: Lead Designer in Seattle, WA

Josh Vester

Green River Community College

Seattle Central Community College