Why Oak+Fort?

OAK + FORT is a fashion and lifestyle brand that provides attainable luxuries consisting of modern essentials in full collections of womenswear, menswear, accessories, jewelry, beauty, and homeware. We are a female-founded and led business that is brought together by a passionate group of people with a natural bond over an aesthetic vision that radiates throughout our collections. From our first studio that opened in 2010 in Vancouver, BC, we now have 30+ locations across North America with a global e-commerce presence.

At the heart and core of it all, it’s our people that matter most. We offer a work ethos that is driven by endless passion, intellectual curiosity, and perennial creativity. Here you get the opportunity to influence our global strategy and growth, while working alongside incredibly talented people.

What You’ll Do:

As the Design Assistant, you will play a supportive and collaborative role across the Design team, contributing to a wide range of creative and operational initiatives. This is an exciting opportunity for a design-driven individual with a keen eye for colour, aesthetic, and detail, who thrives in a dynamic and cross-functional environment within the apparel industry. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the brand by supporting the team across seasonal development, creative execution, and day-to-day design operations. This role is ideal for someone early in their career who is eager to learn, grow, and develop a well-rounded foundation in the fashion and design industry.

This will be an on-site position in our Vancouver office.

What You’re Responsible For:

• Support seasonal colour palette creation, research, and standardization across the collection
• Research material colour and design trends, analyzing aspirational runway and marketplace references
• Execute and track seasonal lab dip requests; review submissions for visual consistency and quality
• Measure and track supplier performance across colour matching, turnaround, approvals, and communication
• Develop and maintain the material colour library, including end-of-season organization and upkeep
• Communicate development issues clearly and help action practical solutions
• Maintain awareness of collection assortment, outfitting, and colour stories
• Support ownership of relevant Product Lifecycle Calendar checkpoints and associated deliverables
• Assist in preparing presentations for seasonal colour and merchandising meetings
• Create and update design CADs and other visual assets using Adobe Illustrator and the broader Adobe Creative Suite
• Provide general design support across the team, including tasks related to creative development, visual organization, and production coordination
• Assist with other related duties and projects as assigned

What We're Looking For: 

You’ve had experience with:

• Diploma or degree in Fashion Design, Textile Design, Graphic Design, or a related creative field preferred
• Previous experience in a design, product development, or creative support role is an asset
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) required
• Strong colour literacy and visual aesthetic sensibility
• Familiarity with apparel construction, materials, or product development processes is an asset
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace

You’re likely someone who:

• Design-driven with a genuine curiosity for colour, trend, and aesthetic
• Detail-oriented, organized, and process-minded
• Collaborative team player who is comfortable supporting across multiple workstreams
• Eager to learn and receptive to feedback and direction
• Adaptable and proactive in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Why You’ll Love It Here:

• Extremely generous employee discount starting from day one
• Health and dental benefits
• Paid vacation time off
• An opportunity be a part of our growth journey
• Work amongst an exceptionally talented team

Our Values:

ABOVE + BEYOND

We strive for something greater than ourselves.

SELF STARTER

Entrepreneurship is the mindset that leads to endless curiosity and continuous improvement.

UNIQUELY YOU

We practice acceptance through open-mindedness and personal responsibility.

CHANGE DRIVER

We embrace change and never fear what’s next.

PEOPLE POWERED

At the core of our brand we are powered by each other.

OUR COMMITMENT TO A HUMAN HIRING PROCESS

At OAK+FORT, we believe every application deserves thoughtful consideration. While we embrace technology in many parts of our business, we do not use AI or automated systems to screen resumes or make hiring decisions. Every application is reviewed by a member (human) of our team to ensure a fair and personalized process.

We are committed to hiring practices that are transparent, inclusive, and human-centered, because we know our people are at the heart of our success.

We strive to provide an outstanding experience to every individual who shows interest in our organization. Our goal is to ensure that you receive clear communication, regular updates and have a dedicated recruiter to support your hiring journey with us. We believe that every candidate journey should be unique, and that honesty, integrity and transparency are carried throughout.

Once you’ve submitted your application, here is what you can expect: 

• A response confirming that we have received your application.
• Your application will be reviewed by our recruitment team.
• Only candidates that are selected for an interview will be contacted directly by a recruiter or hiring manager.
• Your first connection is a 30 minute phone interview.
• You can expect one additional interviews with the hiring team, and potentially a short assignment following the interview
• We will request references before moving to a final offer.

OAK + FORT is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a respectful, diverse, and unique approach to hiring individuals in the communities in which we operate – allowing each person to be their authentic selves. Our hiring commitment applies to all candidates and employees regardless of race, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, place of origin, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, disability, age, and any other protected characteristic.

Requests for accommodation due to any disability or any other protected characteristic can be made at any stage of the recruitment process and during employment by contacting our People & Culture team. Employee pay will vary based on factors such as qualifications, experience, skill level, competencies and work location.

$42,000 - $50,000/year