Full-Time
Assistant Designer
Wrangler Outdoor
Kontoor Brands
1,001-5,000 employees
Global denim and outdoor apparel producer
No salary listed
Greensboro, NC, USA
In Person
Bachelor's
 Product & Experience Design (1) |
|---|
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- A bachelor's degree in Apparel Design, Fashion Design, Art, Graphic Design, or a related field is preferred; equivalent relevant experience will also be considered.
- Approximately 1 year of professional experience and/or training in apparel design is preferred.
- Strong illustration and design skills, including hand sketching, Adobe Illustrator, and a strong sense of color, are required.
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop is required.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, is required.
- Ability to maintain attention to detail and a commitment to quality is required.
- Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities are required.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and adapt as priorities and responsibilities evolve is required.
- Assist the Design team in developing and executing seasonal product lines and special projects, including fabric, trims, artwork, color, and overall style details.
- Support the creation of design presentations, seasonal decks, and CAD sheets, ensuring that information is accurate and up to date.
- Develop and maintain the Design Development Tracker and support the organization of key seasonal deliverables.
- Partner with the Designer to review and approve color lab dips, strike-offs, handlooms, and other development submissions.
- Work with the Designer to create and maintain 3D CADs for seasonal line assortments.
- Create plaids, simple repeats, and other print and pattern artwork for seasonal collections.
- Support preparation for prototype and fit reviews by organizing samples, documenting feedback, and tracking follow-up actions.
- Take clear and detailed notes during proto reviews, fit sessions, and other key milestone meetings and communicate action items to appropriate partners.
- Collaborate with cross-functional partners and development teams to keep projects organized, on schedule, and aligned with the seasonal design direction.
- Familiarity with V-Stitcher or other 3D apparel design software is preferred.
- Approximately 1 year of professional experience and/or training in apparel design is preferred.
Kontoor Brands designs, manufactures, and distributes denim and outdoor apparel worldwide through wholesale partnerships and its own stores and e-commerce sites. Its brands, including Wrangler, Lee, and Helly Hansen, are sold through a multi-channel approach across 65+ countries, combining retailers with direct-to-consumer channels. The company differentiates itself by managing long-standing consumer brands and expanding its outdoor offerings through selective acquisitions, while maintaining a broad global distribution network. Its goal is to grow profitable brand equity and market presence by expanding product lines, strengthening distribution, and leveraging scale across geographies.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Greensboro, North Carolina
Founded
2019
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue reached $584 million, with Helly Hansen contributing $114 million.
- Kontoor raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $5.25-$5.35 after stronger gross margins.
- September 2, 2026 Helly Hansen targets exceed $1.1 billion revenue by 2030.
What critics are saying
- Lee divestiture removes roughly $750 million 2026 revenue, forcing harder growth comp coverage.
- Helly Hansen depends on U.S. awareness near 30%, so expansion needs expensive demand creation.
- New 12.5% China and Vietnam tariffs pressure 2026 margins if sourcing shifts lag.
What makes Kontoor Brands unique
- Wrangler and Helly Hansen combine heritage denim with technical outdoor and workwear.
- Kontoor owns global distribution across 65+ countries and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Project Genius and sourcing scale support higher margins than a typical apparel brand.
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Benefits
Paid Parental Leave
Flexible Work Hours
Tuition Reimbursement
Company News
Kontoor targets more than $1.1 billion of Helly Hansen revenue by 2030. Kontoor Brands said at Helly Hansen Investor Day that it expects the outdoor and workwear label to generate more than $1.1 billion in revenue by 2030, alongside higher margins and more than $500 million in cumulative cash generation. Published September 2, 2026 · 12:49 PM ET Kontoor Brands is telling investors that Helly Hansen is expected to become a much larger business by the end of the decade, setting a goal of more than $1.1 billion in annual revenue by 2030 as it lays out the next phase of growth for the outdoor and workwear label it acquired last year. The target, announced on Sept. 2 at Helly Hansen Investor Day in Oslo, starts from $675 million of pro-forma fiscal 2025 revenue and implies a compound annual growth rate of about 10%. Kontoor also said it wants the brand to reach gross margin in the mid to high 50% range, operating margin in the mid teens, and cumulative cash generation of more than $500 million through 2030. The announcement gives investors a clearer sense of how important Helly Hansen has become to Kontoor's long-term story. For years the company was defined mainly by Wrangler and Lee. After the Helly Hansen acquisition closed in May 2025, management began arguing that the Norwegian brand could lift Kontoor's growth rate, broaden its geographic footprint and deepen its exposure to outdoor and workwear categories that carry different demand patterns from denim. Wednesday's Investor Day turned that broader thesis into a set of operating goals, along with a more detailed explanation of where management thinks the gains can come from and what role Helly Hansen is expected to play in the reshaping of the portfolio. Targets set a larger financial role for Helly Hansen. According to Kontoor's Investor Day announcement, the 2030 revenue target is tied to a strategy designed to scale Helly Hansen globally while also lifting profitability. The company framed the targets as long-term financial objectives for the Helly Hansen reportable segment, not for Kontoor on a consolidated basis. That distinction matters. The headline number is not a companywide sales target, and management was explicit that the outlook is forward-looking. The revenue base used in the growth calculation is also a non-GAAP measure, with the company citing $675 million of pro-forma fiscal 2025 revenue as the starting point. In the release, Kontoor said that figure is the base period for the brand's expected compound annual growth rate. Still, the scale of the ambition is notable. A business that generates more than $1.1 billion in annual revenue would stand well above Helly Hansen's pre-acquisition size within Kontoor and would give the parent company a larger earnings contributor outside its legacy denim labels. The margin goals point to a second part of the plan: management is not simply chasing top-line growth, but trying to turn that expansion into a business with stronger structural profitability and meaningful cash generation. Kontoor also said it would not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP figures because doing so would require forecasts for items that are inherently difficult to predict. That is standard language in corporate outlook materials, but it is also a reminder that these are management targets rather than guaranteed results. The strategy itself rests on three pillars. The first is a push to "supercharge" the U.S., which Kontoor described as Helly Hansen's largest growth opportunity. Management said that effort will depend on a mix of wholesale expansion and direct-to-consumer growth, with the goal of improving brand awareness and distribution in a market where Helly Hansen has room to expand from a smaller base. The second pillar is what the company calls winning in premium outdoor. Helly Hansen already has strong heritage positions in wintersports and sailing, two categories that give the brand technical credibility. The next step, according to the Investor Day release, is to compete more consistently across the broader premium outdoor market and extend into adjacent technical activities where the brand believes it already has a right to compete. The third pillar is workwear. Helly Hansen has an established European workwear business, and Kontoor's plan is to scale that business into North America by pairing the brand's product positioning with the parent's operating capabilities in the region. In practice, that means using Kontoor's infrastructure, sourcing reach and relationships to accelerate distribution and category penetration where management sees room for profitable expansion. Taken together, those pillars suggest that Kontoor is trying to grow Helly Hansen without diluting what made the brand attractive in the first place. Rather than present a broad lifestyle expansion story, the company is leaning on technical outdoor and professional-grade workwear, categories that can support premium positioning if consumer demand holds up. The U.S. emphasis is also consistent with what Kontoor has been signaling since the acquisition, namely that Helly Hansen's brand awareness there leaves headroom relative to its standing in Europe. Borre Hegbom, Helly Hansen's global head, said in the release that the brand is moving from a specialist European name to a leading global premium technical brand. That framing captures the central challenge in the plan. Helly Hansen has to scale meaningfully, especially in the U.S., without becoming too broad or losing the authenticity that management is using as one of the core reasons investors should believe the targets are achievable. Strategy arrives as Kontoor reshapes its portfolio. The Investor Day roadmap lands at a time when Kontoor is in the middle of broader strategic change. The company completed its acquisition of Helly Hansen on May 31, 2025, after announcing the deal in February of that year. In the original acquisition announcement, Kontoor said it agreed to buy the brand from Canadian Tire Corporation for C$1.276 billion, or about $900 million as of the agreement date, subject to closing adjustments. Since then, Helly Hansen has become increasingly visible in Kontoor's financial reporting. In its second-quarter 2026 earnings release, the company said revenue from continuing operations rose 19% to $584 million, helped by $114 million of Helly Hansen revenue in the quarter. In its 2025 annual report, Kontoor said Helly Hansen contributed $475.5 million of revenue during the year, reflecting the fact that 2025 included only a partial year of ownership after the acquisition closed near the end of May. Those figures help explain why the new 2030 targets matter. Investors are being asked to view Helly Hansen as more than a bolt-on addition. Management is presenting it as a growth engine that can influence Kontoor's mix, improve its international and outdoor exposure, and support a stronger earnings profile over time. Joe Alkire, the company's president and chief financial officer, said in the Sept. 2 release that the combination of revenue growth, margin expansion and cash generation is expected to strengthen Kontoor's earnings profile and widen capital allocation choices. The timing is notable for another reason. Kontoor has also been reshaping the rest of its brand portfolio, including its previously announced agreement to sell the Lee business. That places more strategic weight on the brands that remain, especially Wrangler and Helly Hansen. A successful buildout of Helly Hansen would therefore do more than add revenue. It would help define what Kontoor looks like after its portfolio changes are complete. There are still clear execution risks. The company itself cited macroeconomic conditions, uneven consumer demand, foreign exchange swings, inflation, supply chain pressures and tariffs among the factors that could affect results. Management also flagged the practical difficulty of integrating Helly Hansen and delivering the expected growth and cost benefits. For a brand with premium positioning, a weaker discretionary spending backdrop could make the path to the 2030 targets harder, particularly in newer markets where awareness still has to be built. Even so, the Investor Day presentation gives the market a more concrete benchmark for judging whether the acquisition is paying off. Over the next few years, investors will be able to compare Helly Hansen's reported revenue, margin progression, U.S. expansion and cash contribution against the outline Kontoor presented on Wednesday. Replay materials from the event were scheduled to be made available on Kontoor's investor relations site after the session concluded, with the company's next quarterly results likely to offer the next formal checkpoint on whether the brand is tracking toward management's longer-term goals.
Helly Hansen taps C.J. King as GM for sport business in North America. August 27, 2026 Kontoor Brands, Inc. has tapped C.J. King to join the company as general manager, Helly Hansen, North America, Sport, effective August 31. King will assume responsibility for leading all aspects of Helly Hansen's North America Sport business, including commercial strategy and marketplace execution. As a member of the Helly Hansen leadership team, he will report to Børre Hegbom, SVP, global head of Helly Hansen. "We are thrilled to welcome C.J. King to Helly Hansen," said Hegbom. "C.J. brings a proven ability to lead high-performing commercial organizations, build deep connections with technical outdoor consumers and translate premium brand strength into sustainable growth. His experience will be instrumental as we strengthen Helly Hansen's position in the U.S., the world's largest outdoor market. We are excited to partner with him as we unlock the next chapter of growth for Helly Hansen." King joins Helly Hansen from Arc'teryx, a global design company recognized for technical high-performance apparel and equipment. In the past ten years at Arc'teryx, King has served as VP North American Wholesale, VP/GM North America and VP Global Commercial. In those roles, he reportedly led the brand's wholesale and retail channels in North America and helped advance the brand's global commercial and omni-channel strategy, supporting its continued evolution into a balanced, consumer-led marketplace model. "Throughout his career, King has built a strong track record of translating product, merchandising and marketplace strategy into business results through progressively senior roles at outdoor and sport performance brands, including Smartwool, Pearl Izumi, and The North Face," Kontoor said in a media release announcing the hire. Prior to his nearly 10-year career at Arc'teryx, King spent over a year at SPRI Fitness after nine years at Smartwool, six years at Peral, a cup of coffee at Nike, and a couple of years at TNF dating back to 1998. Images courtesy Arc'teryx and C.J. King/LinkedIn
Kontoor Brands is restructuring Wrangler's operations by separating its women's and men's businesses to accelerate growth. Wrangler's global revenue rose approximately 3% in the first half of 2026, driven by growth in women's categories, direct-to-consumer channels, and non-denim products. The women's segment currently represents just 10% of Wrangler's revenue, despite women comprising over half of the US denim market. The company has appointed Jamie Fason as vice president and general manager for the women's business and is increasing investment in product development, design, and marketing. Wrangler is also expanding its retail presence, planning two new stores in Texas opening in early 2027, following the success of its Fort Worth location. The brand's Western business posted low-double-digit revenue growth in the first half of 2026.
Target has appointed Chandhu Nair as its first chief AI officer and senior vice president. Nair, formerly senior vice president of stores, data, AI and innovation at Lowe's, will oversee AI adoption across merchandising, operations and inventory management. Kontoor Brands has promoted Joseph Alkire to president and chief financial officer, expanding his responsibilities to include global oversight of Helly Hansen and Wrangler brands whilst continuing as CFO. Funko has named Kristin Hamilton as chief commercial officer, effective 24 August. Hamilton will lead global commercial operations, overseeing revenue growth and market expansion across all channels. Canada Goose has appointed Massimo Piombini, president and CEO of Cadica Group, to its board of directors. Piombini brings over 35 years of luxury and fashion experience, having held senior roles at brands including Gucci, Bulgari and Valentino.
Kontoor Brands Q2 earnings call highlights. August 12, 2026 Key points. * Kontoor raised its 2026 profitability outlook while maintaining revenue guidance of $2.66 billion to $2.71 billion. Adjusted EPS is now expected at $5.25 to $5.35, supported by a higher gross-margin forecast and stronger second-quarter results. * Wrangler and Helly Hansen delivered key growth: Wrangler's direct-to-consumer revenue rose 12% and the brand gained more than 100 basis points of market share, while Helly Hansen revenue reached $114 million and operating margins improved significantly. * The planned Lee divestiture to Authentic Brands Group remains on track for the fourth quarter. Kontoor expects to use most proceeds for a new $400 million accelerated share repurchase, debt reduction and broader capital returns exceeding $900 million in 2026. * Five stocks to consider instead of Kontoor Brands. Kontoor Brands NYSE: KTB raised portions of its 2026 outlook after reporting second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.60, up 13% from the prior year, as stronger gross margin and contributions from Helly Hansen supported results. President and CFO Joe Alkire said the company's first-half revenue reached $1.2 billion, an increase of 31% from the prior year, while adjusted gross margin rose 590 basis points to 52.2%. First-half adjusted EPS increased 36% to $2.12. For the second quarter, adjusted gross margin increased 710 basis points year over year to 53.8%. Alkire attributed the improvement to Project Genius savings, Helly Hansen's higher gross-margin contribution, and favorable channel, product and pricing mix. SG&A expenses totaled $221 million, or 37.8% of revenue, reflecting a full quarter of Helly Hansen expenses and increased spending on direct-to-consumer, demand creation and technology initiatives. Wrangler posts DTC growth and market-share gains. Wrangler global revenue increased 1% in the second quarter, led by 12% growth in direct-to-consumer sales. U.S. revenue also increased 1%, with DTC revenue up 9% and wholesale revenue relatively flat. International revenue increased 8%, driven by 27% DTC growth and 4% wholesale growth. Scott Baxter, chief executive officer and chairman, said the brand gained more than 100 basis points of market share in its core bottoms business during the quarter, according to Circana. Alkire said Wrangler recorded its 17th consecutive quarter of market-share gains in men's and women's bottoms. Wrangler's first-half female revenue rose 20%, with growth accelerating in the second quarter, while Western revenue grew at a low-double-digit rate in the first half. Baxter said the company continues to invest in talent, design, product development and demand creation for the female business, which represents about 10% of Wrangler revenue despite females comprising more than half of the U.S. denim market, according to Alkire. The company also is expanding Wrangler's physical retail presence. After opening a full-price store in Fort Worth, Texas, Kontoor secured two additional Texas locations scheduled to open in early 2027. Alkire said the company plans to test and scale the retail concept while investing in digital capabilities, artificial intelligence, site experience and an expanded loyalty program. Discover more Stock split calculator Company Earnings Management expects Wrangler to generate mid-single-digit growth in the second half, excluding the effect of a 53rd week in 2025. Alkire said the outlook is supported largely by committed new distribution, including Lowe's Home Improvement, as well as continuing growth in female, DTC and Western categories. Retail partners, however, remain cautious about inventory commitments, management said. Helly Hansen exceeds expectations. Helly Hansen generated $114 million in second-quarter revenue, up 6% on a pro forma basis and above management's expectations. First-half pro forma reported revenue increased 12%, while underlying constant-currency growth was in the mid-single-digit range. Sport revenue totaled $70 million, with the strongest growth in the U.S., Nordic countries and the Alps region of Europe. Workwear revenue was $37 million, with growth in the U.S. and the Alps region. Management said workwear e-commerce, though still small, was particularly strong in the second quarter. Alkire said Helly Hansen produced positive operating profit during what he described as its seasonally smallest quarter, helped by sourcing, logistics, planning and procurement improvements, better inventory quality, more full-price selling, less promotional activity, pricing and synergies. Through the first half, Helly Hansen's operating margin expanded about 600 basis points to 7%, according to Baxter. The company remains committed to reaching a mid-teens operating-margin target for the brand. Management is separating Helly Hansen's sport and workwear commercial organizations and has hired a North America general manager for the sport business. Kontoor also plans incremental spending on demand creation during the second half, particularly in the U.S., where Alkire said Helly Hansen's aided brand awareness is about 30%. Helly Hansen will begin appearing in 18 Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport locations in October, Baxter said. The company plans to provide further details on the brand's strategy at an investor day in Norway on Sept. 2. Lee divestiture and capital plans. Kontoor said its divestiture of the Lee brand to Authentic Brands Group remains on track to close in the fourth quarter. The company expects to use most of the net proceeds to fund a new $400 million accelerated share repurchase program, with the remainder directed toward voluntary debt repayment. Alkire said Kontoor expects to offset approximately $40 million of stranded costs over 12 to 18 months following the sale. He said the company expects the Lee divestiture to be immaterial to EPS over that period, supported by cost actions, the anticipated share repurchase and debt reduction. Kontoor repurchased $50 million of common stock in the second quarter and $75 million year to date at an average price of $75 per share. It ended the quarter with $700 million remaining under its existing repurchase authorization. The board also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.53 per share. Inventory declined 3% year over year to $526 million, primarily reflecting reductions at Helly Hansen. Net debt stood at $1.1 billion, with $58 million in cash and an undrawn $500 million revolver. Updated 2026 outlook. The company maintained its full-year revenue outlook of $2.66 billion to $2.71 billion but raised its adjusted gross-margin forecast to 49.8% to 50%, from a prior range of 48.3% to 48.5%. * Adjusted operating income is now expected to be $413 million to $420 million, compared with prior guidance of $411 million to $418 million. * Adjusted EPS is expected to be $5.25 to $5.35, up from prior guidance of $5.15 to $5.25. * The outlook includes about $25 million of incremental brand-building and other growth investments and approximately $0.36 per share of incremental investments relative to prior guidance. * Cash from operations is expected to approximate $450 million, including the Lee business contribution reported in discontinued operations. Kontoor expects to return more than $900 million of capital during 2026, including anticipated proceeds from the Lee sale, through share repurchases, dividends and voluntary debt payments. The company expects net leverage to fall below 1.5 times by year-end. About Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB). Kontoor Brands, Inc is a global apparel company best known for its Wrangler and Lee denim and lifestyle brands. Established as an independent, publicly traded company in May 2019 following a spin-off from VF Corporation, Kontoor leverages a legacy that dates back to 1889 with the founding of Lee and to 1947 with the introduction of the Wrangler brand. The company focuses on designing, manufacturing and distributing premium, casual and workwear apparel, including jeans, pants, shorts, shirts, jackets and complementary accessories. Kontoor Brands operates a diversified sales model that combines wholesale partnerships with leading retailers, distribution through e-commerce channels and select direct-to-consumer formats. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. Continue following MarketBeat Before you consider Kontoor Brands, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Kontoor Brands wasn't on the list. While Kontoor Brands currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. Robotics and automation are rapidly becoming essential infrastructure across healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and many other industries. 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