Senior Designer – Apparel at Victoria’s Secret - PINK

Led team of associates and freelance designers to create product for PINK’s new Lifestyle categories: woven tops, dresses, soft bottoms, outerwear and sweaters. Analyzed market trends, runway shows, vintage garments and social media accounts to identify each season’s big ideas. Created seasonal lines by developing sketches and linesheets in Adobe Illustrator and building technical packages in Centric PLM. Collaborated with Raw Materials team to source fabrics and trims on a seasonal basis. Partnered with Product Development and Technical Design teams to clearly communicate garment details, construction, measurements and fit to factories overseas. Aligned with Merchandising to finalize a strong balanced assortment for stores and online.

Freelance Designer – Woven Tops at Loft

Analyzed current trends and shoppe d retail market to influence seasonal direction and strategy for the Woven Tops category. Developed seasonal product lines by sourcing new fabrics and washes, hand sketching in Procreate and creating technical packages in Bamboo Rose PLM system. Collaborated with cross-functional partners to engineer production styles for best overall aesthetic, quality and cost. Regularly fit production garments on Missy model with technical design team to ensure correct design intent and fit.

Senior Designer – Basic Knits, Noveltees, Fashion Knits / Fashion Tops, Wovens at Maurices

Led team of associate designer to create commercialized, trend-right product for Maurices stores’ most profitable categories. Fostered positive working environment by mentoring direct reports to ensure team development. Analyzed market trends and selling reports to influence design strategy, assortment architecture and product evolution. Directed team to create seasonal product lines by sourcing new fabrics with RM team, developing artwork with CAD team, creating sketches in Adobe Illustrator, generating technical packages in PLM system and working with outside market vendors. Travelled quarterly to corporate headquarters in Duluth, MN to partner with merchandising and assort seasonal in-store and digital product lines. Collaborated with technical design team to fit production samples on live Core and Plus models to achieve correct specifications and flattering fit for Maurices customer.

Design Director – Knits, Wovens, Sweaters, Dresses, Soft Outerwear at Zar Group

Led team of designer, technical designer and patternmaker/sewer to create the Laurel Grey product line. Regularly conducted trend research and shopped retail market for big ideas and key trends across all product categories. Collaborated with design team to create monthly product lines by developing color palettes, sourcing new fabrics and yarns, creating sketches, developing technical packages for in-house and overseas sample-making. Presented product line with sales team and worked directly with buyers from Belk, Saks Off Fifth, Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx in market meetings. Collaborated with design and production teams daily to review production lab dips, strike offs and knit downs to ensure quality control. Fit production garments on live Missy model with technical designer to ensure correct specifications for each account’s needs.

Designer – Wovens, Fashion Knits, Basic Knits, Athleisure, Dresses at Jane & Delancey

Designed across categories by researching key market trends and reacting to selling reports from accounts TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Created monthly product lines by color palettes, sourcing new fabrics and trims, developing washes, creating sketches and technical packages for factories overseas while adhering to development calendars and cost-sensitive price points. Directed seasonal print direction and oversaw artwork development to ensure prints were trend-right and feasible for factories. Presented product lines and worked directly with buyers in market meetings to create monthly assortments. Collaborated with production team to review lab dips, bulk fabric and TOPs for quality control. Fitted Missy and Plus production garments on live models with in-house and TJX TD teams.

Designer – Design History and Private Label Wovens, Knits, Dresses at Design History / Salty Inc.

Designed branded and private label product for Bloomingdales, Anthropologie, Evereve, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillards, Calvin Klein, Marmaxx, Sam’s Club and small specialty boutiques. Developed sketches by hand and on Adobe Illustrator for line sheets and presentations with buyers. Created technical packages with flat sketches, garment specifications and construction details and communicated with factories overseas for sample development across all categories. Fit development and production samples on live Missy and Plus models with TD team for quality and fit.

Designer - ABS Allen Schwartz, Kiara and Private Label at TKO Evolution Apparel

Designed into categories across tops, bottoms and dresses for Belk, Stage, Saks Off Fifth, Sam’s Club and Costco. Developed prints, sketches and linesheets for presentations with buyers. Created and distributed technical packages with flat sketches, garment specifications and construction details overseas for sample development. Sourced fabrics and trims locally and worked with Garment Center patternmakers and sample rooms for quick turnaround garments. Communicated daily with TD, production and sourcing teams to develop new styles and ensure quality control.

Associate Designer - Nicki Minaj and Private Label at The Jones Group

Designed mood and presentation boards based on market research and trend shopping for collection development. Developed flat sketches on Adobe Illustrator and technical packages on Microsoft Excel. Coordinated sample requests and oversaw sample rooms to ensure timely delivery of sales samples. Collaborated with graphic artists to create original production-ready prints. Reviewed samples, lab dips and strike offs to ensure quality control of production. Presented product lines and worked with buyers in market meetings in-person and via Microsoft Teams.