Art Director

Who We Are

Founded by Gosia Piatek in 2006, Kowtow is a seed-to-garment brand from Wellington, New Zealand. All of our garments are made naturally from a single fibre, Fairtrade organic cotton.

At Kowtow our vision is to create clothing that can return to the earth without harm. We take responsibility for what we produce, how we operate our business and are actively working on solutions to reduce our footprint. We are committed to the principles of circular design - reducing waste, making products that last, keeping them in use and regenerating the natural environment at every point in the process. Our collections are created to build a modular wardrobe, offering quality pieces that can be worn again and again, year after year.

“The limitations of our ethos keeps us innovative. We don’t compromise on design, and embrace restrictions. This gives our garments a strong minimal identity, and we believe the simplicity of our clothing is the first step toward circularity.”

– Gosia Piatek, Kowtow Founder


The Role and what you will bring

We are searching for an innovative and energetic Art Director to develop and execute visual designs and concepts that effectively communicate the Kowtow brand identity. If you are highly creative, have solid experience in a similar role, and have a passion for global fashion, art and design, we would love to hear from you!

A typical day will see you collaborating across multiple creative projects including concept development, asset creation, graphic design and campaign shoots. Taking your lead from our seasonal creative direction and overarching brand strategies, you will work closely with our sales and brand teams to inspire our customers and bring to life the design vision of our unique and vibrant collections.

 

The Primary Responsibilities

  • Interpret seasonal creative direction to deliver visual designs that effectively communicate concepts, campaigns and promotions

  • Develop visual communication for digital, print, product and spatial touchpoints using stills, video and graphic design

  • Lead art direction and styling of campaign shoots, e-commerce shoots and other productions

  • Oversee the planning and curation of social media outputs

  • Support campaign roll out across sales channels including digital and print materials, visual merchandising guidelines and point of sale

  • Actively research and present innovative and creative concepts for future campaigns

  • Provide support across the business with the development and execution of various design led projects


Your Skills and Experience

  • At least 5 years progressive experience in creative roles (ideally in fashion) 

  • Highly creative, with a passion for global fashion, art  and design

  • Proactive communicator and collaborator with excellent verbal and written skills

  • Experience in planning and execution of campaign shoots

  • Sound knowledge of current art and design trends and an understanding of the competitive landscape in the New Zealand and Australian fashion industries

  • Meticulous attention to detail, exceptional time management and a can-do attitude

Ideally you care about preserving the planet as much as we do and have a genuine interest in circularity, sustainability and innovation.


Working at Kowtow

Kowtow’s workroom and studio is located in central Wellington, Aotearoa’s creative capital. Flexible working options, a 9-day fortnight and volunteer days are just some of the ways we support the health and wellbeing of our team, and allow our people the time they need to rest and recharge. A seasonal clothing discount provides you and your loved ones the opportunity to enjoy wearing our Fairtrade organic cotton clothing.

At Kowtow we are proud of our kind and caring culture. We aim to provide a positive work environment where people can achieve their full potential, and we are committed to being diverse, inclusive and accessible. We believe in a future where fashion harmonises with the planet and people, leaving no harmful footprint behind. The whole team shares an interest in sustainability and innovation and everyone at Kowtow contributes toward our shared goals.

You will thrive at Kowtow if you are naturally confident, have a positive attitude and share our vision of leaving the planet better than we found it.

Applicants for this position should have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.

Please note, whilst we would love the successful candidate to be hands-on in Wellington with the team, we will consider remote working for the right candidate with the specific skills and experience we are looking for! 

Apply now through Seek or email us at careers@kowtowclothing.com including a cover letter, CV and online portfolio.