Lead Apparel Designer - Create, Local Creation GC

Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

Nike Local Creation GC is one of Nike’s fastest-moving product engines, enabling designers to connect with geo-specific consumers quickly and effectively. Reporting to the Local Creation Design organization, this role focuses on creating inspiring products tailored to specific marketplaces and geographic audiences, capturing fast-moving trends and delivering regionally relevant narratives with flexibility and speed. The Local Creation team’s mission is to amplify and incubate new ideas while driving and extending consumer favorites, serving local consumers with executions that offer greater relevance and immediacy. We seek a candidate who embodies our values of authenticity, accountability, collaboration, and courage—someone eager to grow, challenge themselves, and work independently as a self-driven contributor.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for a Lead Apparel Designer, Create to join our dynamic and fast-paced design team. This role will be based in Shanghai, China, and will work closely with cross-functional partners across Design, Product Management, Development, Merchandising, and Marketing. The ideal candidate is a seasoned creative lead with diverse experience in the apparel industry and the ability to design and execute apparel products for our brands. They will create apparel products across a range of GC consumer, sport, and lifestyle business opportunities and lead the execution of multiple categories through a hyper-local lens for our target consumers. This designer has a strong eye for detail, a passion for and expertise in premium craft, and the ability to create highly covetable products that connect with Greater China consumers through authentic local narratives. They can operate independently, drive the brand vision, foster creativity within the team, navigate ambiguity, manage multiple timelines, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to bring ideas from concept through execution.

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

This is an individual contributor role reporting to the Senior Manager, Apparel Design, Local Creation GC. You’ll collaborate closely with key functional partners throughout the product design process, including:

• GC Apparel and Footwear Design teammates across categories

• GC Product Management and Development teams

• GC Merchandising and Marketing partners

• Global Design counterparts and Nike Creative stakeholders

You’ll also engage with external vendors and suppliers to bring your designs to life, ensuring alignment with Nike’s brand standards and regional consumer expectations.

WHAT YOU BRING

Education:

BA/BFA/MA/MFA preferred in Apparel Design or related field, or equivalent combination of education, experience or training.

Experience:

• 7 years of professional apparel design experience within the apparel and sports industry, with extensive expertise in materials, performance functions, construction, and fit for apparel products.

• Clear understanding of apparel segments and multidimensional consumer profiles, preferably with experience in the GC market.

• Ability to design and execute lifestyle and performance apparel.

• Comprehensive understanding of apparel materials, construction, fit, technical packages, and schematic development.

• Strong collection-building ability, with the capacity to translate insights into authentic narratives and storytelling by integrating concepts across color, silhouette, and key looks. Able to develop concepts from a holistic point of view and drive cohesiveness across products within the same collection and across brands.

• Ability to lead, curate and drive design vision within your categories cross functionally and align design expectations with your key counterparts.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and adhere to timelines.

• Excellent visual and verbal presentation skills.

• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts clearly and collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams.

• Proven team player and leadership skills, fostering a positive and inclusive environment to achieve shared creative goals.

• Sound decision-making abilities and strategic thinking skills.

• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D/AI rendering software, and Miro.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

As the Lead Apparel Designer, Create, Local Creation GC, you will:

• Create apparel products that align with global creative direction, seasonal key concepts, gender strategies, franchise journeys, geo assortments and connect with the GC consumer.

• Work closely with Product Management and Development to establish and manage seasonal new-creation toolboxes based on consumer insights, design direction, product intent, and appropriate margin targets.

• Bring seasonal creative direction to life through market-relevant trends and insights across color, material functionality, and GC-centric fit and proportion, as well as brand- and trend-relevant coordination of key looks and outfits. Build depth within the range through the use of color and define trend levels across individual products to drive excitement and range cohesion.

• Communicate design concepts effectively, collaborate in a fast-paced environment, and inject GC-relevant trends and solutions into seasonal products.

• Monitor the development of prototype samples and interact with development to finalize production details, conduct fittings, and ensure execution excellence in multiple categories.  

• Partner with Product Management and Development to build trend-driven assortments, communicate design intent, review prototypes, and refine execution.

• Champion storytelling and clearly communicate the “why” behind the work. Present concepts to internal teams, leadership, and external partners, effectively explaining the purpose behind design decisions.

• Manage design deliverables and project timelines, planning and executing product details, reviewing samples, resolving feasibility issues, and ensuring timely project completion.

• Demonstrate strong trend mining skills with a deep connection to consumer and city trends, maintaining in-depth knowledge of Nike DNA.

#MYNEXT: Be Empowered to Grow within Nike and Create the Future

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

NIKE, Inc. is a growth company that looks for team members to grow with it. Nike offers a generous total rewards package, casual work environment, a diverse and inclusive culture, and an electric atmosphere for professional development. No matter the location, or the role, every Nike employee shares one galvanizing mission: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.

NIKE, Inc. is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.