PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
* Lead teams of product designers, graphic designers, sourcing, and technical designers at Maya Romanoff, The Apparel Agency, BOGA, and Design Pac Gifts. I was tasked with leading the creative direction, conceptualizing the new product introductions and managing the product development process through in-store delivery.
* Developed a new product development process for Maya Romanoff, which maps out key development checkpoints and T&A, integrating all other adjacent departments, to maintain timing for product launches. This includes managing product development, cost/price analysis, art direction, and management of all print and digital sales collateral design/production.
* Created an integrated product development process at The Apparel Agency, which fostered a more collaborative and efficient workflow between the internal departments. The new process helped create more visibility to timelines, created better communication between team members, and developed a tool to track all projects in development.
* Created BOGA’s product development and sourcing process from the ground up during the start-up’s beginning stages. Developed all production guidelines for factory partners.
* Designed seasonal gourmet food gifts at Design Pac Gifts for wholesale clients including Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Meijer, Kroger, Aldi, Kmart, Dollar General, and 1800Baskets. Responsibilities include trend research, conceptualize gift set-ups, art direction, package design, brand development, manage the workflow and costing of all projects, communicate all sales team priorities to the entire development group.
Trend
* Continually researching new production techniques and vendors to expand the production capabilities, maintaining a leadership role in bringing new innovative designs and manufacturing techniques to the market.
* Develop trend and mood boards to set the color and materials tone for each seasonal product assortment at Maya Romanoff, BOGA, Focus Products Group, Design Pac Gifts, and Sears Holding
* Developed and managed BOGA’s trend, fabric/trims samples, and garment samples library/archive
SOURCING
* Travel domestic and internationally to review new development, production, and source new factories/vendors along with attending trade shows. Extensive travel to China, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Romania, Portugal, and Germany for Maya Romanoff, BOGA, Focus Products Group, and Design Pac Gifts.
* Grow production capabilities with new contract manufacturers in order to increase The Apparel Agency service offerings. Strengthen partnerships with local production facilities and build new relationships with international factories for specialty or specific customer needs (shoes, bags, accessories, swimwear, outerwear, and intimates).
* Generate new vendor and manufacturer connections to gain more flexibility, extend product offerings, lower prices, and lower MOQs for Maya Romanoff, The Apparel Agency, BOGA, Focus Products Group, and Design Pac Gifts.
* Primary interface for BOGA with all overseas production factories and fabric mills in Europe. In charge of taking seasonal product designs and translating into technical packages for production ready garments. Develop strong partnerships with factories and vendors to drive increased growth, productivity and profitability. Managed order quantities, finding cost savings in materials, labor, logistics, and negotiating credit terms, while maintaining a high level of quality
MERCHANDISING | MANAGEMENT
* Manage the P&L at The Apparel Agency for business services and production. Drive efficiencies to increase profitability, through working with factories for cost savings, establish lower fabric costs, and evaluate freight costs to drive gains in the P&L.
* Created the retail pricing strategy and manage the P&L at BOGA for all product categories, retail, online, and wholesale division.
* Critical contributor along with the President of The Apparel Agency to shape the concept, financial plan, product development and branding of Enanemus, the company’s first private label blanks clothing collection.
* One of the original four founding members of the BOGA brand. I partnered with the owner to create the collection’s Design, aesthetic, fit, tech packs, fabric selections, marketing, and merchandising strategy.
SALES
* Successful launch of hooked® product line at Focus Products Group in Q2 2013. Placement worth $3 Million at American Hotel Register and HD Supply distribution partners.
* Manage a team of wholesale reps at BOGA and The Apparel Agency. Created BOGA’s first seasonal sales plan and guide the team to execute the sales goals to exceed budget expectations of $300,000 during the first wholesale season.
* Traveled extensively with the sales team on customer meetings to support product development initiatives and foster relationships between customers and the product development team for Maya Romanoff, BOGA, Focus Products Group, and Design Pac Gifts.
* At Design Pac Gifts, managed product development, timelines, schedules, and communication for wholesale business that translated into $30 Million in sales contribution to the company in 2012, additionally Increased sales at Kmart year over year, from $1.5 Million to $5 Million in 2012.
Branding | Packaging Design
* Launched new product categories and brands with BOGA, Focus Products Group, The Apparel Agency, and Maya Romanoff. Integral decision maker in creating full brand identity, including logos, packaging direction, and brand style guides.
* At BOGA, designed and developed the branding package which included all packaging/shipping materials, sales collateral, hangtags and logo trims. Worked with various domestic and oversea factories to manufacture all the branded items.
* Worked on start-up client's creative direction and development of branding materials and packaging for The Apparel Agency.
* Designed Gift Designs and directed packaging engineers and graphic designers at Design Pac Gifts. Created innovative gift setups and packaging for private label and licensed gifts for Starbucks, Godiva, Target.
* Well versed in different printing and manufacturing techniques for paper, fabric, and other substrates.