Licensed Headwear Designer | Z HATS - Lakeshirts

THE ART OF HEADWEAR: WE LIVE IT, WE BREATHE IT, WE DESIGN IT.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

If headwear design is your expertise, you're in the right place. Our Zephyr division is searching for an accomplished Headwear Designer (AKA: Line Artist) with substantial experience in and a passion for headwear art, ready to take our designs to the next level.

With over 30 years as the go-to brand in the College space, we're known for the quality, creativity, and innovation that goes into every hat featuring our iconic 'Z.' We're counting on you to make sure that legacy continues to shine and stand out in the crowd.

You're not just an artist- you live and breathe headwear design. Your background is in creating eye-catching line art for hats, and you know exactly what makes great headwear. You bring creativity, grit, and an impressive portfolio to the table. You're experienced, organized, and ready to join a team that's as hat-obsessed as you are. (If you think any ol' graphic design will do, this isn't the gig for you.) And have we mentioned hats yet?

You'll be at the forefront of our design process, creating unique art series for our licensed division. Working closely with the Zephyr Collegiate Creative Director, you'll deliver top-quality, trendsetting artwork made exclusively for our hats. And beyond the art? You'll adapt the styling of each hat to align with your designs, adjusting elements like panels, eyelets, and straps for a cohesive look and feel.

READY TO CREATE?If you've got the experience, vision, and passion to create headwear designs that people can't wait to wear, we want to see what you've got. Join us at Zephyr, where every day is a great hat day.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, Full-Time Days

Open to onsite or remote. To be considered for remote you must reside in one of the following states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KA, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NV, NY, OK, PA, SC, SD, TX, VA, WI

A Typical Day (job functions) | Develop + Design + Create + Inspire + Inform + Customize

• Design headwear art by creating on-trend, market-specific designs for our licensed divisions
• Manage project flow by staying on top of deadlines with an organized approach to handle a continuous flow of line art projects
• Research graphic trends, techniques, and inspirations to ensure Zephyr's designs are always ahead of the curve
• Bring Customers' visions to life by transferring their requests into standout designs for each hat series
• Craft, create, and amaze by developing unique artwork that turns heads & leaves a lasting impression on every cap
• Customize hat styling by adapting panels, eyelets, straps and other hat elements to align with your artwork and coordinate with import styles
• Work closely with the Creative Director and #TEAM (one of our Core Values) to bring a fresh perspective and strengthen each collection
• Support team goals by contributing to product presentations, managing databases with up-to-date graphic launches, and assist with sample setup for tradeshows and other key accounts
• Other responsibilities as assigned (wearer of multiple hats), jumping in and lending a hand wherever needed

Skills (qualifications) | Illustrator + Organization + Creative Aptitude + Ideation + Hat Lover

• Proven headwear design experience required
• Headwear design experience with at least five years' experience creating line art at a senior graphic designer or line artist level preferred
• Two or four-year Graphic Design degree or Art-related degree preferred
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, with a demonstrated background in illustration and graphic design for headwear required
• Able to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, contributing to a supportive and innovative work environment
• Decisive and insightful, making independent decisions with clear reasoning and sound judgment
• Must be reliable, responsible, organized, flexible and take direction well
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize deadlines, and take initiative with minimal supervision
• Dependable and adaptable- highly reliable, organized and responsive to direction, with the flexibility to adapt as needed
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with team members across departments
• Welcoming of change; nimble and open-minded- willingness to embrace new ideas & adapt to shifting trends

Minimum Requirements for Remote Option:

Type of Internet service:Cable or DSL Internet speeds no slower then: 100mbs download and 25mbs upload. This speed must be maintained throughout working hours (if someone else is on your home network watching Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc... this may affect speeds).

Not meeting these specifications will result in a slow and unstable connection uploading and downloading files from our in-house servers. Employees must supply their own equipment including but not limited to two monitors, cameras and computer accessories. Chromebooks are not compatible with our systems.

ABOUT LAKESHIRTS & ZEPHYR HEADWEARFounded in 1984, Lakeshirts has grown into one of the largest privately-owned screen-printing manufacturers in the U.S., decorating and distributing garments across the resort and licensed collegiate markets. Zephyr Headwear, a Lakeshirts brand, was established in 1993 by former sports retailers who wanted to make hats they'd be proud to sell. Known for its iconic "Z Hats," Zephyr revolutionized college headwear and now crafts custom hats for 800+ colleges, pro sports teams, and brands around the globe.

At our headquarters in Detroit Lakes, MN, and from sea to shining sea, our nearly 1,000 team members bring creativity to life daily, producing 45,000+ garments, including our iconic t-shirts and industry-leading hats. Our unique culture combines non-corporate values (WOW Our Customers, Team, Continuous Improvement, Meritocracy & Community) with an innovative spirit, and we seek driven, creative people ready to embrace our mission and help us continue to grow. Join us and become part of a team that's proud of its roots, values quality, and lives for the art of design across every garment and hat we produce.

Cognitive or Mental Requirements of the Job:

Employee must be able to see and hear, read and write. Requires good judgment, people-oriented, flexible organized diplomatic, reliable, enthusiastic, courteous, helpful, patience.

Physical Demands:

NEVER: Push, Pull, Climb, Balance, Bend, Twist, Crawl, Reach, Lift 10-24 lbs, Lift 25-50 lbs, Lift over 50 lbs, Carry 10-24 lbs, Carry 25-50 lbs, Carry over 50 lbs

OCCASSIONALLY: Lift, Stand, Carry, Lift under 10 lbs, Carry under 10 lbs, Reach above shoulder height

FREQUENTLY: Walk, Reach at shoulder height

CONTINUOUSLY: Sit, Reach below shoulder height

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and should in no way be considered a contract or guarantee of employment. Employee may perform other related duties as needed, based on the ongoing needs of the business. Minnesota is an Employment-At-Will state and implies no specific length of employment.