Awful Design management/ does not train properly or onboard. - Designer Southern Tide Employee Review

1.0
Feb 6, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The brand has good equity however, could be and stay a leader in the market if they found better design leaders that understood fishing, hunting, sports, style, and really what the core customer wants, is and needs. Good people do work here. Good compensation, but at one point the $ isn't worth it.

Cons

Please look at all the reviews before this one on design management. Awful, Not inspirational, not energetic, not accountable, and does not get the customer as well as tried two make it a southern version of Ralph Lauren and the sales started going down. There is no formal onboarding or training. The Design leadership is toxic, exhausting, and morale is low throughout office/design dept. because of design leadership. You will learn what to do and design through sales and other cross functional departments. The design leadership will want to change them and dodge the bullet when people ask where the right designs went. Also you will do something right and good for the brand and show it to design leadership and they will say no to it, and then in a design meeting the sales will recommend something extremely close to what you already thought of and the design leadership will act as though you never did anything or not even use what you already recommended. Design leadership does not get the brand at all. It is not a healthy place to spend any extended amount of time.

Explore other reviews about Southern Tide

5.0
May 28, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible and kind coworkers and management

Cons

Small space in back room

1.0
Feb 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

General employees are friendly and welcoming

Cons

- The organization feels disorganized, and that lack of clarity appears to stem from leadership at the corporate level. Senior management often seems disconnected from day-to-day operations and lacks a clear strategic direction. - All employees do not trust CEO and do not feel she is qualified since she was a nepotism hire. Decision-making does not always appear to be grounded in strong financial or analytical oversight by her. - Head of design should not have intimate relationship with fit model -The company continues to allocate significant funds toward nonessential expenses, including a new office space, holiday décor, and events, despite broader operational challenges. - Last year, the company aggressively expanded by opening numerous new stores, only to begin closing many of them this year. This rapid expansion followed by contraction suggests insufficient long-term planning. - Product quality is also a concern. Much of the assortment relies heavily on lower-cost polyester fabrics, which impacts overall brand perception. - Large volumes of product are purchased that are not sold goods, leading to excess stock that must later be heavily discounted or donated, resulting in margin loss.

5
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