Job Description / Duties

Role: Fabric Manager (NOC 0113)
Salary: $100,000 - $140,000/annum and Benefits (Extended Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance) + may be eligible for bonuses and salary increases, if applicable
Hours: 45 hours/week, Full-Time, Permanent
Location of work: Aritzia Support Office (#118-611 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC, V6A 1E1)
Number of positions: 1

The Fabric Manager will be part of the team responsible for bringing Aritzia’s product to life. The role will support in finding high quality fabrics that achieve Creative’s vision and deliver on our customer’s needs.

The key responsibilities of the Fabric Manager will include the following:

FABRIC AND TRIM STRATEGY
To determine the approach for sourcing fabric and trims that fulfill the design vision
• Supplier Assessment – Partner with Sourcing to evaluate fabric suppliers and ensure their product offering meets Aritzia’s needs
• Fabric Allocation – Support with supplier assignments to establish suppliers that will deliver on the best What, When and How Much
• Supplier Management – Liaise with fabric suppliers to manage their performance, ensuring successful production of fabrics in line with product calendar deadlines
• Sustainability - Ensure fabric production is in compliance with Aritzia sustainability standards and support in identifying materials and suppliers that will reduce Aritzia’s social and environmental impact

CREATIVE
To research and identify innovative and sustainable fabric, trim, wash, and applied graphic trends
• Trends – Identify fabric trends for the season across marketplace, runway, shows and suppliers
• Fabric Research – Conduct fabric research across top sellers, trends, innovations and sustainable yarns
• Fabric Creative Strategy – Prepare for, develop and participate in the fabric creative strategy presentation

SELECTION
To choose fabric, trims, washes, and applied graphics that fulfill the design vision
• Option Analysis – Evaluate fabric options against the what, when and how much
• Edit – Partner with Creative Design to select the best fabric options to incorporate in the line, considering construction, textile design, wash and applied graphic
• Approvals – Acquire the necessary approvals to proceed with fabric production

PRE-PRODUCTION
To set up for the production of approved fabric, trims, washes, and applied graphics
• Sample Yardage – Maintain, place, and report on purchase orders for sample fabric yardage, and manage the maintenance of the fabric sample library
• Development Sample – Request sourcing samples as needed
• Lab Dip Requests – Maintain, place and report on lab dip requests
• Standardization – Manage the technical/bulk hangers and development/bulk testing
• PLM Setup – Upload required data into the Product Lifecycle Management system

NEGOTIATION
To maximize our margin and minimize lead-time without compromising quality
• Quantity – Work with fabric suppliers to agree to the optimal quantity of fabric yardage ordered to optimize cost
• Minimums – Work with fabric suppliers to reduce the minimum order quantity required
• Surcharges – Work with fabric suppliers to minimize surcharges as part of supplier agreements
• Currency/Exchange Rates – Optimize margins through strategic management of currency/exchange rates in fabric orders
• Lead Time – Work with fabric suppliers to establish the shortest possible lead times to meet or beat product calendar deadlines (when) while achieving exceptional product quality (what) and margin (how much) objectives

PRODUCTION
To manage the development and delivery of high quality fabric, trims, washes, and applied graphics
• Production Management – Partner with Production to ensure that fabric production is proceeding on plan and on schedule
• Delivery to Supplier – Ensure that bulk fabric is delivered to finished good suppliers accurately and on time

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added or modified as required throughout the course of employment.

Qualifications / Required Skills

The Fabric Manager will possess the following qualifications:

• Completion of a university degree in textile manufacturing, fashion merchandising or other related field is preferred
• 3+ years of experience with fabric and textile development and management in the fashion industry
• Strong understanding of and experience with garment and factory manufacturing/production methods, construction and fabrication, and sourcing
• Experience with managing product throughout its lifecycle (from concept to production to final product)
• Experience with costing, negotiation and sourcing strategies
• Experience with evaluating cost and quality of goods to ensure margin goals
• Ability to recognize potential production and material issues (i.e., order and delivery management, contingency planning)
• Management skills and proven ability to work effectively with cross functional/departmental partners and teams (i.e., Sourcing, Planning, and Technical design teams)
• Proven leadership abilities and excellent interpersonal and communication skills – both verbal and written
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with ability to prioritize and manage deadlines
• Ability to work effectively with cross functional/departmental partners and external teams

Salary: $100,000 - $140,000/annum and Benefits (Extended Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance) + may be eligible for bonuses and salary increases, if applicable

Contact Information

Apply Now: If you are interested in an exciting career in the fashion apparel industry, please forward your cover letter, resume and portfolio, if applicable (PDF or website link) to careers@aritzia.com. PLEASE NOTE THE JOB TITLE AND WEBSITE IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

NOTE: Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted. If you are not contacted for this position, please accept our sincere thanks and appreciation for your interest in Aritzia!

Aritzia believes in providing an inclusive workplace where all individuals have opportunity to succeed. We are committed to doing so by providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation due to a disability can be made at any stage of the recruitment process and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

Employer Profile

Working at Aritzia: Aritzia’s Support Office is located on the edge of downtown Vancouver (611 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC, V6A 1E1), a city consistently recognized as one of the world’s best cities to live. Much like our boutiques, our workspace is modern and unique, and reflects our love of contemporary design. Our team consists of creative and dynamic industry professionals who love to design and promote Aritzia’s in-house brands, scope out the latest global trends, and continue learning and sharing their passion for fashion with our valued clientele – all in an environment that fosters long-term career planning and personal growth. Check us out at www.aritzia.com