I'm Athena Petrou, an apparel product development consultant with 20+ years turning ideas into high-quality, manufacturable products. I partner with brands to move from concept to production, specializing in design, technical development, sourcing, costing, sampling, quality assurance, and production management. I've built and scaled apparel divisions, established factory relationships worldwide, and designed systems that accelerate time-to-market and improve margins. Today I collaborate with startup and growth brands to provide the hands-on expertise and strategic leadership they need without the overhead of a full in-house team.…

Athena Petrou

I'm Athena Petrou, an apparel product development consultant with 20+ years turning ideas into high-quality, manufacturable products. I partner with brands to move from concept to production, specializing in design, technical development, sourcing, costing, sampling, quality assurance, and production management. I've built and scaled apparel divisions, established factory relationships worldwide, and designed systems that accelerate time-to-market and improve margins. Today I collaborate with startup and growth brands to provide the hands-on expertise and strategic leadership they need without the overhead of a full in-house team.…

Available to hire

I’m Athena Petrou, an apparel product development consultant with 20+ years turning ideas into high-quality, manufacturable products. I partner with brands to move from concept to production, specializing in design, technical development, sourcing, costing, sampling, quality assurance, and production management.

I’ve built and scaled apparel divisions, established factory relationships worldwide, and designed systems that accelerate time-to-market and improve margins. Today I collaborate with startup and growth brands to provide the hands-on expertise and strategic leadership they need without the overhead of a full in-house team.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent
Greek, Modern
Advanced
Spanish; Castilian
Intermediate

Work Experience

Founder and Principal Consultant at Goddess Media House
October 1, 2024 - Present
Founder and Principal Consultant leading brand and product development for apparel clients in womenswear and menswear. Mentors early-stage entrepreneurs, translates creative vision into actionable business outcomes, and delivers high-impact results under tight timelines. Guides the full product lifecycle from concept and fabric sourcing to tech pack development, production, and merchandising strategy. Advises on sustainable design practices, material innovation, and factory sourcing, aligning with evolving consumer values and industry trends. Collaborates with factories, graphic designers, and marketing to ensure brand cohesion and timely delivery.
Senior Director of Product Design and Development at Allure Bridals
October 1, 2024 - October 23, 2025
Established the menswear division, transforming concepts into a line of 25+ styles across fabrics and colorways. The line became profitable in year two and surpassed $19M in sales by 2024. Secured the Disney Fairytale Weddings account with a dedicated menswear collection. Led full lifecycle ownership: concept, fabric/trims, tech packs, sampling, wear testing, production, and commercialization. Drove ecommerce transformation and brand merchandising, built and mentored cross-functional teams, negotiated with mills/factories, and researched performance fabrics to drive product innovation.
Director of Design and Product Development / Brand Manager at UniformAdvantage.com and Chefuniforms.com
August 1, 2018 - October 23, 2025
Drove transformative growth for Chefuniforms.com, expanding annual revenue from $10M to $23M in three years. Led product strategy, merchandising, open-to-buy planning, and seasonal assortments for two leading brands serving hospitals, medical facilities, nursing schools, and B2C customers. Directed end-to-end product lifecycle, sourced fabrics, led CAD/graphics for 100+ seasonal prints, and managed a team of 8. Implemented sustainability initiatives, PLM migration for 4,000+ tech packs, and digital merchandising to support ecommerce growth.
Director of Design and Product Development at M&C Uniforms
October 1, 2012 - October 23, 2025
Directed design and development for a premier uniform provider delivering to 80% of the world’s major cruise lines. Drove profitability for key programs, integrating designs into stock production to shorten lead times and reduce costs. Led end-to-end product development across multiple divisions, from concept meetings and fabric sourcing to testing, fittings, and final production, while managing vendor relationships and ensuring brand standards.
Senior CAD Designer - Wovens at Chico's FAS
October 1, 2008 - October 23, 2025
Designed a diverse range of woven prints (stripes, plaids, paisley, novelty) and created CADs for prints, embroideries, and yarn-dyed fabrics. Partnered with the trend department to analyze seasonal themes and develop color palettes, and established a cross-functional CAD workflow to ensure timely vendor delivery.
Senior Designer at Superior Uniform Group
March 1, 2006 - October 23, 2025
Developed custom fabrics and garments for hotels, restaurants, spas, casinos, retailers, and healthcare facilities. Created products aligned with merchant line plans, price points, and seasonal directions. Led research and development on fabrics and styling to inform decisions and ensure quality control across production.
Founder & Principal Consultant at Goddess Media House
January 1, 2018 - Present
Consultant for early-stage and growth apparel brands; guides full product lifecycle—from concepting and design to sourcing, sampling, costing, and production. Sources factories and mills globally, negotiates MOQs and timelines; implements workflow systems for development, approvals, QC, and manufacturing; manages fit, fabric approvals, lab dips, and sample iterations; advises on brand positioning, merchandising, and launch calendars.
Senior Director, Product Design & Development at Allure Bridals
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2024
Built a full menswear division; developed 25+ styles that surpassed $19M in sales. Oversaw end-to-end development (design, fabrics, trims, tech packs, fit, sampling, factory sourcing, production, QA). Led global vendor management, price negotiation, capacity planning, and cost optimization. Directed transition from B2B to DTC e-commerce, including merchandising and operational workflows. Secured and developed the Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Menswear Collection.
Director of Design, Merchandising & Product Development at UniformAdvantage.com / ChefUniforms.com
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2018
Drove revenue expansion from $10M to $23M for a startup apparel brand by optimizing product offering and sourcing. Owned full lifecycle development: design briefs, fabric R&D, performance materials, tech packs, fittings, PLM, production. Managed cross-functional teams and implemented new forecasting, OTB planning, and inventory strategies. Led PLM migration of 4,000+ tech packs, improving accuracy and speed to market.
Director of Design & Product Development at M&C Uniforms
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2012
Designed uniforms for 80% of the world’s major cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, etc.). Doubled profit for top client from $5M to $11M through assortment optimization and revised production workflows. Developed fabrics, sourced materials, created tech packs, led fittings, and ensured QC across all development stages. Built and managed strong global factory relationships; oversaw testing, compliance, and final production.
Senior CAD Designer at Chico’s FAS
January 1, 2006 - January 1, 2008
CAD design, print development, artwork, color palettes, production-ready files, trend alignment.
Senior Designer at Superior Uniform Group
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2006
Custom fabric and garment development for hospitality, healthcare, and retail brands.

Education

BFA - Apparel Design and Merchandising at International Academy of Design and Technology, Tampa, FL
January 11, 2030 - October 23, 2025
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) – Fashion Merchandising at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
January 11, 2030 - December 1, 2025
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Apparel Design & Merchandising at International Academy of Design and Technology, Tampa, FL
January 11, 2030 - December 1, 2025

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Retail, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services

Skills

Experience Level