I am a Fashion Designer with extensive experience in developing fashion collections, both woven and knitwear categories. My focus is on constant innovation and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to develop products that align with the brand's message, optimizing production processes, and achieving commercial goals. I seek to continue contributing my experience to a company that values creativity and quality in product development.

Mariana Rafele

I am a Fashion Designer with extensive experience in developing fashion collections, both woven and knitwear categories. My focus is on constant innovation and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to develop products that align with the brand's message, optimizing production processes, and achieving commercial goals. I seek to continue contributing my experience to a company that values creativity and quality in product development.

Available to hire

I am a Fashion Designer with extensive experience in developing fashion collections, both woven and knitwear categories.

My focus is on constant innovation and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to develop products that align with the brand’s message, optimizing production processes, and achieving commercial goals. I seek to continue contributing my experience to a company that values creativity and quality in product development.

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Work Experience

Head of Apparel at Jackie Smith
May 30, 2023 - October 14, 2025
Led development and management of the brand's clothing collection; oversaw knitwear category; collaborated with planning and marketing; sourced denim suppliers in Paraguay; sourced tailored fabrics from China; developed a capsule collection with NOA artists; strengthened the brand's quality standards; defined textiles, materials, trims, and color palette; created capsule collection proposals; conducted store research and fit testing; produced technical sheets, prototypes, and oversaw fit tests.
Freelance Fashion Designer and Product Developer at Karina Grimaldi
January 1, 2023 - Present
Develop knitwear and selected woven pieces for the brand; provide creative and technical support in collaboration with the brand owner and team; maintain constant communication with suppliers in China; oversee fit testing, quality improvements, color palette development, and trend research; manage design development from concept to production.
Head of Knitwear at Chufy
January 1, 2023 - October 15, 2025
Led Knitwear category within CHUFY; collaborated with the collection development team; oversaw design and production of knitwear for U.S. and European markets; liaised with suppliers in Peru, India, and China to ensure quality and authenticity; traveled for development.
Head of Apparel at Jackie Smith
January 1, 2024 - October 15, 2025
Led development and management of the brand's clothing collections; aligned apparel with handbag launches; strengthened brand identity and cohesion; developed denim suppliers in Paraguay and sourced fabrics from China; initiated capsule collection with NOA artisans, leveraging knitwear expertise.
Collaborator / Design Consultant at Semper Studio
January 1, 2024 - Present
Joined Semper Studio on a comprehensive project to shape the brand's first collection (Winter 2025) including design, development, production management, and brand identity; led textile/material selection, capsule proposal, store research, fittings, and technical sheets.
Sr Fashion Designer at KUSILAS S.L
July 31, 2019 - October 15, 2025
Trend analysis and development of women’s collections for brands under the Inditex group, Mango, Natura, and EseoEse. Creation of color cards, fabric selection, and product design, focusing on adapting to client commercial demands. Collaboration with suppliers from Turkey, India, Morocco, and Portugal for product development and manufacturing improvements. Continuous communication with clients and suppliers to meet quality and delivery timelines. Product development trips to Turkey, Portugal, Morocco, and supplier visits to explore new products and trends.
Knitwear Fashion Designer at CHUFY
May 31, 2023 - October 15, 2025
Design and development of knitwear items, from concept creation to final product design, aligned with the brand’s vision and style. Creation of mood boards and constant research for new ideas and materials to enrich the product offering. Management of relationships with international suppliers (Peru, China, India), negotiating prices, deadlines, and quantities to ensure product quality within established commercial margins. Daily coordination with the commercial team to adjust prices and meet sales targets. Travel to Peru and India to develop samples, discover new manufacturing techniques, and evaluate potential suppliers. Travel to New York to trend source and prepare the collection for the sample sales showroom.
Apparel Product Manager at Jackie Smith
October 31, 2024 - October 15, 2025
As the apparel manager, responsible for creating the Collection Layout by category: knitwear, denim, woven, and cut and sew. Sourcing fabrics that meet the requirements set by the creative director. Overseeing the design and development of garments until they were ready for production. Sales analysis and forecasting of launches in collaboration with the merchandising team. Constantly searching for innovative ideas to enrich the brand's collection while respecting its identity.
Apparel Manager at TEXTILES DEL SUR
February 28, 2022 - October 15, 2025
Design and development of the No Brand Outwear collection in China and Argentina. Production follow-up, constant communication with suppliers, quotation negotiation, and management of sales. Handling small client accounts. Textile Designer, constantly analyzing trends, color cards, and fabrics. Creation of color cards and fabric collections for development in China, Peru, and Brazil.
Production Manager at FALABELLA
September 30, 2016 - October 15, 2025
Supervision of national production, from fabric delivery to workshops to final product delivery. Quality control and coordination with the design and commercial teams to ensure collections arrived on time and with the required quality. Material consumption calculations and cut sheet registrations. Daily communication with workshops and suppliers to resolve any issues and optimize delivery times.
Jr Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
January 31, 2018 - October 15, 2025
Development of collections for University Club and Apology (both women brands), from creating mood boards to final product development. Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines. Sales analysis to understand customer needs and adjust the product offer according to market demands.
Assistant Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
June 30, 2017 - October 15, 2025
Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines.
Sr Fashion Designer at KUSILAS S.L
July 31, 2019 - July 31, 2019
Trend analysis and development of women’s collections for brands under the Inditex group, Mango, Natura, and EseoEse. Creation of color cards, fabric selection, and product design, focusing on adapting to client commercial demands. Collaborated with suppliers from Turkey, India, Morocco, and Portugal to improve product development and manufacturing. Maintained close communication with clients and suppliers to ensure quality and on-time delivery. Participated in product development trips to Turkey, Portugal, Morocco and evaluated trends.
Knitwear Fashion Designer at CHUFY
May 31, 2023 - May 31, 2023
Design and development of knitwear items, from concept creation to final product design, aligned with the brand’s vision and style. Creation of mood boards and constant research for new ideas and materials to enrich the product offering. Management of relationships with international suppliers (Peru, China, India), negotiating prices, deadlines, and quantities to ensure product quality within established commercial margins. Daily coordination with the commercial team to adjust prices and meet sales targets. Collaboration with the marketing team to create special products and plan seasonal launches, considering key dates in the commercial calendar. Travel to Peru and India to develop samples, discover new manufacturing techniques, and evaluate potential suppliers. Travel to New York to source trends and prepare the collection for the sample sales showroom.
Apparel Product Manager at Jackie Smith
October 31, 2024 - October 31, 2024
As the apparel manager, responsible for creating the Collection Lay Out by category: knitwear, denim, woven, and cut and sew. Sourcing fabrics that met the requirements set by the creative director. Overseeing the design and development of garments until they were ready for production. Sales analysis and forecasting of launches in collaboration with the merchandising team. Constantly searching for innovative ideas to enrich the brand's collection while respecting its identity.
Apparel Manager at TEXTILES DEL SUR
February 28, 2022 - February 28, 2022
Design and development of the No Brand Outwear collection in China and Argentina. Production follow-up, constant communication with suppliers, quotation negotiation, and management of sales. Handling small client accounts. Textile Designer, constantly analyzing trends, color cards, and fabrics. Creation of color cards and fabric collections for development in China, Peru, and Brazil.
Production Manager at FALABELLA
September 30, 2016 - September 30, 2016
Supervision of national production, from fabric delivery to workshops to final product delivery. Quality control and coordination with the design and commercial teams to ensure collections arrived on time and with the required quality. Material consumption calculations and cut sheet registrations. Daily communication with workshops and suppliers to resolve any issues and optimize delivery times.
Jr Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
January 31, 2018 - January 31, 2018
Development of collections for University Club and Apology (both women brands), from creating mood boards to final product development. Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines. Sales analysis to understand customer needs and adjust the product offer according to market demands.
Assistant Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
June 30, 2017 - June 30, 2017
Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines.
Sr Fashion Designer at KUSILAS S.L
March 1, 2018 - July 1, 2019
Trend analysis and development of women’s collections for brands under the Inditex group, Mango, Natura, and EseoEse. Creation of color cards, fabric selection, and product design, focusing on adapting to client commercial demands. Collaboration with suppliers from Turkey, India, Morocco, and Portugal for product development and manufacturing improvements. Continuous communication with clients and suppliers to meet quality and delivery timelines. Product development trips to Turkey, Portugal, Morocco, and supplier visits to explore new products and trends.
Knitwear Fashion Designer at CHUFY
February 1, 2022 - May 1, 2023
Design and development of knitwear items, from concept creation to final product design, aligned with the brand’s vision and style. Creation of mood boards and constant research for new ideas and materials to enrich the product offering. Management of relationships with international suppliers (Peru, China, India), negotiating prices, deadlines, and quantities to ensure product quality within established commercial margins. Daily coordination with the commercial team to adjust prices and meet sales targets. Collaboration with the marketing team to create special products and plan seasonal launches. Travel to Peru and India to develop samples, discover new manufacturing techniques, and evaluate potential suppliers. Travel to New York to make trend sourcing and to prepare the collection for the sample sales showroom.
Apparel Product Manager at Jackie Smith
May 1, 2023 - October 1, 2024
As the apparel manager, I created the Collection Layout by category: knitwear, denim, woven, and cut and sew. Sourced fabrics that met the requirements set by the creative director. Overseeing the design and development of garments until they were ready for production. Sales analysis and forecasting of launches in collaboration with the merchandising team. Constantly searching for innovative ideas to enrich the brand's collection while respecting its identity.
Apparel Manager at TEXTILES DEL SUR
November 1, 2019 - February 1, 2022
Design and development of the No Brand Outwear collection in China and Argentina. Production follow-up, constant communication with suppliers, quotation negotiation, and management of sales. Handling small client accounts. Textile Designer, constantly analyzing trends, color cards, and fabrics. Creation of color cards and fabric collections for development in China, Peru, and Brazil.
Production Manager at FALABELLA
March 1, 2015 - September 1, 2016
Supervision of national production, from fabric delivery to workshops to final product delivery. Quality control and coordination with the design and commercial teams to ensure collections arrived on time and with the required quality. Material consumption calculations and cut sheet registrations. Daily communication with workshops and suppliers to resolve any issues and optimize delivery times.
Jr Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
June 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
Development of collections for University Club and Apology (both women brands), from creating mood boards to final product development. Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines. Sales analysis to understand customer needs and adjust the product offer according to market demands.
Assistant Fashion Designer at FALABELLA
August 31, 2016 - May 31, 2017
Creation of technical sheets and fitting tests, collaborating closely with the buying and production teams. Research on fabrics, prints, and materials to enrich collections. Coordination with the pattern-making team and suppliers to ensure product quality and meet delivery deadlines.

Education

Grado en Diseño de Indumentaria y Textil at Universidad de Buenos Aires - FADU
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2015
Project Management para Empresas Creativas at IED Instituto Europeo de Diseño, Barcelona
February 1, 2018 - May 31, 2018
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital at Escuela Da Vinci
March 1, 2017 - July 31, 2017
Diseño de Indumentaria y Textil (Bachelor) at Universidad de Buenos Aires - FADU
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2015
Project Management para Empresas Creativas at IED Instituto Europeo de Diseño/ Barcelona
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital at Escuela Da Vinci
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017
Diseño de Indumentaria y Textil at Universidad de Buenos Aires - FADU
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2015
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital at Escuela Da Vinci
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017
Project Management para Empresas Creativas at IED Instituto Europeo de Diseño/ Barcelona
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Diseño de Indumentaria y Textil at Universidad de Buenos Aires - FADU
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2015
Curso Superior Profesional at IED Instituto Europeo de Diseño, Barcelona
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Curso de Formación Profesional at Escuela Da Vinci
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017

Qualifications

Project Management para Empresas Creativas
February 1, 2018 - May 31, 2018
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital
March 1, 2017 - July 31, 2017
Project Management for Creative Enterprises
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017
Licenciatura en Diseño de Indumentaria y Textil
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2015
Project Management para Empresas Creativas
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Curso Superior Profesional Diseño Grafico Digital
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017
Curso Superior Profesional – Project Management para Empresas Creativas
February 1, 2018 - May 1, 2018
Curso de Formación Profesional
March 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017

Industry Experience

Retail, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Other, Education