Next Plc
Assistant Menswear Designer - Casual Shirts
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Working Pattern: Typically 5 days in the office, with core hours flexible between 8am-6pm.
The Role
As an Assistant Menswear Designer specialising in Casual Shirts, you will be the creative engine behind one of Next’s most popular and fast-moving product categories. Your mission is to translate global catwalk influences, street style trends, and fabric innovations into wearable, "must-have" casual shirts that resonate directly with the Next customer.
Working closely alongside senior designers, buyers, merchandisers, and technical teams, you’ll help build cohesive, commercial collections that keep Next ahead of the high street.
Our Designers here at Next are always looking forward. Looking for that Next thing, focusing on trends, and pushing the boundaries of what we can offer our fantastic customer base. Working as a key part of the critical path; creating new and innovative designs across Menswear!
What You’ll Take On
- Support the Design Vision: Research key seasonal trends in fabrics, weaves, colour palettes, prints, check patterns, and casual silhouettes to create commercially successful shirt ranges.
- Design with Agility: From core staples to special project collections, you’ll respond rapidly to design briefs, turning fresh ideas into "customer-ready" products at high street speed.
- Balance Style and Value: You’ll use your commercial eye to ensure every piece is both aspirational and budget-friendly, delivering "cool" fashion that makes sense for our customers.
- Collaborate to Deliver: You’ll work hand-in-hand with our Buyers, Merchandisers, and Tech teams daily, ensuring every design is technically sound and arrives in-store exactly when it should.
- Own the Process: You’ll manage the journey of a garment from the initial mood board to the final product, ensuring the range remains a consistent favourite for the Next shopper.
What You’ll Bring
- A Passion for Menswear: A genuine interest in casual shirt construction, from collar shapes and pocket detailing to understanding fabric washes and technical trims.
- Creative Agility: You’re a natural at spotting lifestyle trends and can quickly translate a "big idea" into a practical, wearable design that fits the relaxed, modern Next aesthetic.
- The Ability to Juggle: You’re well organised and stay calm when things get busy, comfortably managing multiple deadlines and seasonal casual shirt ranges at once.
- A Collaborative Spirit: You’re a "people person" who communicates clearly and enjoys working alongside buyers and tech teams to solve problems and bring the collection to life.
- Commercial Savvy: You understand the balance between high-end comfort and high street reality, keeping an eye on costs without losing that essential "cool" factor.
- Technical Foundations: You bring relevant design experience (or a degree in a related field) and are comfortable using the tools of the trade, specifically Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, to bring your sketches to life.
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Portfolios
To help us get a feel for your style, please attach a digital portfolio to your application. To help you put your best foot forward, we’ve put together a few top tips on what makes a portfolio stand out Creating Standout Portfolio at Next: How to Show Us Your Design.
Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.
Sponsorship
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: Skilled Worker Visa.
We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
#LI-Onsite
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy online from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
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- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Profit-related bonus - based on company performance
- Private health insurance - surgery choices
- Sharesave scheme - make savings from your net pay to buy NEXT shares at a discount
- Pension - fixed contribution rates from both an employer and employee perspective, but you're also able to make additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) if you wish to save more.
- 25% staff discount on most NEXT products - plus discount on other products
- Wagestream - helping you make the most out of your money
- Salary finance - offers access to affordable loans repaid through salary, simple savings and free financial education.
- Life assurance
- Direct to work - NEXT orders delivered free to the office for collection
- VIP sale - early access to the NEXT sale
- Access to NEXT staff shops
- Octopus energy - like cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles
- Free parking (excluding London locations)
- Travel2NEXT - bus services dependent on location
- On-site dining facilities (excluding London locations)
- National and local discounts on goods and services - this includes things like discounted cinema tickets
- Wellhub - includes access to discounted gym membership
- Simply health - a healthcare subscription service
- Aviva Digicare Workplace+ healthcare service - 7 Free services including Digital GP appointments and an annual health check.
- Onsite GP - Leicester Head Office
- Onsite Physio - Leicester Head Office
- A range of dedicated 3rd party wellbeing partners
- Free eye testing - voucher to use at specific locations
Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
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