Fashion & Apparel OPT Jobs in New York
New York City anchors the U.S. fashion industry, with global brands like Ralph Lauren, PVH Corp, Tapestry, and G-III Apparel Group headquartered in Manhattan's Garment District and Midtown. F-1 OPT holders in fashion & apparel can find roles spanning design, merchandising, production, and digital marketing at companies with established OPT sponsorship track records.
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Unity. Loyalty. Advancement. Charity. It’s what drives United Legwear & Apparel Co. to be the best global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of legwear, bodywear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in 1998 by Isaac E. Ash to make the very best legwear on the market, ULAC is an industry leader offering a full range of products for babies, kids, teens, and adults. We strive to sell our products at affordable prices for families. Hard work and exponential growth year on year has transformed ULAC into a global apparel and accessories company.
About The Job
At ULAC, The Associate Designer will support the design team in the development, creation, and execution of the PUMA Kids boys’ apparel line. This role plays a key part in bringing innovative, trend-right, and commercially successful products to market by supporting the design process from concept through production. The Associate Designer will collaborate cross-functionally to develop product assortments that align with brand objectives, consumer needs, and business strategies.
What You Will Do
- Work with design team in designing, sketching and developing ideas for multiple lines/collections as assigned based on design direction and trend research.
- Research emerging fashion trends and provide awareness of market trends in color, fabrics, style and how to interpret those trends for the brand.
- Generate, update and recolor seasonal Cads for multiple brands.
- Produce detailed tech packs and follow through the entire development of product from initial line to final pre-production samples.
- In-put Tech Packs into (Exenta) system.
- Daily follow up with factories on tech pack creation/revision/review and submit approvals.
- Review and approve labdips and strike off submits.
- Interact with sales team to discuss design ideas.
- Tag and organize samples for market and meetings.
- Perform any other duties as assigned in support of the company needs and operations.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Fashion or related area and 2+ years of experience in Design, including but not limited to experience with kidswear (boys).
- Knowledge of fashion trends and general trends in color, fabric and style.
- Creativity and artistic abilities, an eye for color, texture and pattern with keen attention to detail and ability to visualize in three dimensions.
- Proficient computer skills to include Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite.
- Excellent written and verbal skills as required for effective interpersonal communication.
- Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks and workload seamlessly and follow-up.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with team under critical time frames.
- Self driven and experience working in a fast-paced environment and ability to apply good work habits to effectively complete assigned tasks and contribute to the smooth operation of the company/department.
What We Offer
At ULAC, we are committed to supporting the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package for all New York & New Jersey-based employees includes:
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Access to quality health care coverage with a variety of plan options to fit your needs.
Fitness Reimbursement
Reimbursement is for eligible health and wellness programs to encourage a healthy lifestyle through our medical benefits plan.
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance (100% Employer Paid)
Income protection to support you during unexpected health challenges, 100% company-paid.
Group-Term Life Insurance (100% Employer Paid)
Accidents can happen in an instant, affecting you and a loved one. Our Group-term Life Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance is designed to help families by providing financial protection in case of death or severe injury resulting from an accident.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Confidential support services for mental health, work-life balance, and other personal matters.
401(k) Retirement Plan
Plan for your future with our competitive retirement savings plan, including employer matching of up to 4.5%.
Pet Insurance
Coverage options to help care for your furry family members.
Paid Time Off (PTO) and Sick Leave
Competitive paid vacation and sick leave to support your work-life balance.
Bereavement Leave
Paid time off to grieve and attend to personal matters following the loss of a loved one.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Pre-tax savings accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Commuter Benefits
Tax-advantaged options to help cover public transit and commuting costs.
Tuition Reimbursement
Support for continued learning and development through approved educational programs.
Voluntary Life Insurance
Option to voluntarily add additional financial protection in the event of an unfortunate loss.
General Acknowledgement & Employment At-Will
Employment in this position requires adherence to all policies and procedures set forth by United Legwear & Apparel Company. This position description is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities of the position, is not a contract and is subject to change at any time, with or without notice, by the employer. Furthermore, all employees are employed at-will with United Legwear & Apparel Company and are employed for no definite period of time and employment may be terminated without cause or notice.
About us
Unity. Loyalty. Advancement. Charity. It’s what drives United Legwear & Apparel Co. to be the best global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of legwear, bodywear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in 1998 by Isaac E. Ash to make the very best legwear on the market, ULAC is an industry leader offering a full range of products for babies, kids, teens, and adults. We strive to sell our products at affordable prices for families. Hard work and exponential growth year on year has transformed ULAC into a global apparel and accessories company.
About The Job
At ULAC, The Associate Designer will support the design team in the development, creation, and execution of the PUMA Kids boys’ apparel line. This role plays a key part in bringing innovative, trend-right, and commercially successful products to market by supporting the design process from concept through production. The Associate Designer will collaborate cross-functionally to develop product assortments that align with brand objectives, consumer needs, and business strategies.
What You Will Do
- Work with design team in designing, sketching and developing ideas for multiple lines/collections as assigned based on design direction and trend research.
- Research emerging fashion trends and provide awareness of market trends in color, fabrics, style and how to interpret those trends for the brand.
- Generate, update and recolor seasonal Cads for multiple brands.
- Produce detailed tech packs and follow through the entire development of product from initial line to final pre-production samples.
- In-put Tech Packs into (Exenta) system.
- Daily follow up with factories on tech pack creation/revision/review and submit approvals.
- Review and approve labdips and strike off submits.
- Interact with sales team to discuss design ideas.
- Tag and organize samples for market and meetings.
- Perform any other duties as assigned in support of the company needs and operations.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Fashion or related area and 2+ years of experience in Design, including but not limited to experience with kidswear (boys).
- Knowledge of fashion trends and general trends in color, fabric and style.
- Creativity and artistic abilities, an eye for color, texture and pattern with keen attention to detail and ability to visualize in three dimensions.
- Proficient computer skills to include Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite.
- Excellent written and verbal skills as required for effective interpersonal communication.
- Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks and workload seamlessly and follow-up.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with team under critical time frames.
- Self driven and experience working in a fast-paced environment and ability to apply good work habits to effectively complete assigned tasks and contribute to the smooth operation of the company/department.
What We Offer
At ULAC, we are committed to supporting the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package for all New York & New Jersey-based employees includes:
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Access to quality health care coverage with a variety of plan options to fit your needs.
Fitness Reimbursement
Reimbursement is for eligible health and wellness programs to encourage a healthy lifestyle through our medical benefits plan.
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance (100% Employer Paid)
Income protection to support you during unexpected health challenges, 100% company-paid.
Group-Term Life Insurance (100% Employer Paid)
Accidents can happen in an instant, affecting you and a loved one. Our Group-term Life Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance is designed to help families by providing financial protection in case of death or severe injury resulting from an accident.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Confidential support services for mental health, work-life balance, and other personal matters.
401(k) Retirement Plan
Plan for your future with our competitive retirement savings plan, including employer matching of up to 4.5%.
Pet Insurance
Coverage options to help care for your furry family members.
Paid Time Off (PTO) and Sick Leave
Competitive paid vacation and sick leave to support your work-life balance.
Bereavement Leave
Paid time off to grieve and attend to personal matters following the loss of a loved one.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Pre-tax savings accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Commuter Benefits
Tax-advantaged options to help cover public transit and commuting costs.
Tuition Reimbursement
Support for continued learning and development through approved educational programs.
Voluntary Life Insurance
Option to voluntarily add additional financial protection in the event of an unfortunate loss.
General Acknowledgement & Employment At-Will
Employment in this position requires adherence to all policies and procedures set forth by United Legwear & Apparel Company. This position description is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities of the position, is not a contract and is subject to change at any time, with or without notice, by the employer. Furthermore, all employees are employed at-will with United Legwear & Apparel Company and are employed for no definite period of time and employment may be terminated without cause or notice.
OPT Fashion & Apparel Job Roles in New York
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Search Fashion & Apparel Jobs in New YorkFashion & Apparel OPT Sponsorship Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions
Which fashion & apparel companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in New York?
Several major New York-based fashion and apparel employers have histories of hiring F-1 OPT workers, including PVH Corp (parent of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger), Tapestry (Coach, Kate Spade), Ralph Lauren, G-III Apparel Group, and VF Corporation's New York offices. Larger corporations with dedicated HR teams and global recruitment pipelines tend to have more established OPT onboarding processes than smaller independent labels.
Which cities in New York have the most fashion & apparel F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
New York City, specifically Manhattan, is overwhelmingly the center of fashion and apparel employment in the state. The Garment District in Midtown West, as well as SoHo and the Meatpacking District, concentrate design studios, showrooms, and corporate offices. While some apparel operations exist in Brooklyn and Queens, international F-1 OPT candidates will find the strongest concentration of sponsoring employers in Manhattan.
What types of fashion & apparel roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that align with a degree field are the most straightforward fit for F-1 OPT. In fashion and apparel, that includes fashion design, textile development, product development, visual merchandising, fashion marketing, supply chain management, and technical design. STEM OPT extension eligibility is worth checking separately for roles in fashion technology, data analytics for retail, or e-commerce operations, which may fall under qualifying SOC codes.
How do I find fashion & apparel F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in New York?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT job seekers and surfaces fashion and apparel roles in New York from employers with verified sponsorship histories. Filtering by visa type and industry on Migrate Mate narrows results to positions where OPT authorization is explicitly considered. You can also cross-reference employer OPT filing history through OFLC Wage Search to assess which New York fashion companies have sponsored international workers previously.
Are there any New York-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in fashion?
New York's fashion industry has a significant freelance and contract culture, which can complicate F-1 OPT eligibility since OPT requires a direct employer-employee or qualifying self-employment relationship. F-1 OPT holders should confirm that any role is structured as direct employment, not as an independent contractor arrangement, since the latter raises compliance concerns with USCIS. Seasonal hiring cycles around New York Fashion Week in February and September also influence when full-time sponsoring roles are posted.