SUMMARY
Creative designer and leader with proven ability to develop a collection from inspiration to final product while focusing and evolving brand identity. Unique ability to synthesize creative and technical development with a deep understanding of the intersection of silhouette, fabric, and patternmaking. Organized, approachable, hands-on team player able to lead and coach talent to peak performance.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2013 – PRESENT A.L.C. LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Head of Design (2019 - Present)
Responsible for developing the mainline RTW collection cohesive with the seasonal inspiration of the Creative Director. Responsible for thoughtful, attentive and timely development of sampling for 12 RTW collections per year. Focus on growing strong core business in best-selling styles, balanced by offering new styles that push the brand forward.
• Strategize workflow, balancing development with in-house atelier and overseas factories for optimized capacity and on-time delivery of seasonal sampling
• Partner with Merchandising to keep the assortment balanced and edited, and to synthesize sales needs with creative direction; partner with Fabric R&D to ensure fabrications are aligned with design direction/seasonal mood, garment silhouettes and end-use, and pricing categories
• Promote communication and good will within the Design team and with cross-functional departments, building trust, commitment to best-in-class product offering, and enabling creative problem solving
• Lead development fittings; individual coaching for design team members during fit sessions
• Team with Product Development for sourcing/new development of trims, hardware, finishing techniques
• Lead hand-off of RTW collections to Production; developed the protocols for this process. Primary point person for ensuring design integrity through production process. Maintain high standards of fit, finish, and workmanship through close relationship with Technical Design and Production teams
Senior Designer (2013 – 2019)
• Design & develop new styles for core RTW wovens collection and cut-and-sew knits
• Research market trends, silhouettes, fabric manipulation techniques and garment details, R&D techniques
• CADs, illustrations & layouts for embellishment, textile development, and colorways
• Development for complex print placement styles, and technical support through production and grading
• Collaborate with patternmakers & tech to execute styles from concept to completion; provide clear initial direction, references, and feedback throughout the process; draping to communicate new shapes
• Analyze markers to optimize fabric consumption and increase profit margins
2008 – 2013 Juan Carlos Obando LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Studio Head/Associate Creative Director
Designed & developed collections from initial concept to final product. Worked with creative director to determine each season’s direction, silhouette, color story, and textiles. Instrumental in designing brand-defining looks including opening and closing runway ensembles and best-selling styles.
• Managed new toile and sample development; lead fittings, alterations and style evolutions
• Introduced reproducible and outsource-able design methods and integrated them with the existing hand-craft model, transforming a side-project into a profitable business
• Established fully-specialized bespoke client service capabilities, creating a second revenue stream. Profits from private client sales matched or exceeded retail sales in early stages of business and stabilized the company’s profits. Specialization in this category also attracted discriminating high-profile clients including celebrities and royalty
• More than doubled the company’s production capabilities through the creation of protocols for outsourcing, eliminating bottlenecks and reducing delivery times, leading to multiple re-orders of top styles
•Strengthened quality control and refined construction details to ensure consistent product leading to improved buyer confidence, repeat business and expanded orders
2008 Gianfranco Ferre MILAN, ITALY
Assistant Designer
• Designed and illustrated women’s ready-to-wear and runway collections
• Illustrated A/W 2008 sales book; produced 250 sales book illustrations in a week
2005 - 2008 Michael Stewart Design LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Designer & Partner, Design/Build Company
• Designed, developed, and produced custom furniture, cabinetry and one-of-a-kind residential projects
• Created 3D architectural models and renders, winning new client bids; 2D technical drawings for production
• Responsible for business operation, project scheduling, sourcing, production management & supervision
2004 Stella McCartney LONDON, UK
Assistant Designer (Internship) & Freelance Illustrator
• Created production drawings for women’s ready-to-wear, accessories & textiles
• Researched clothing design, hair & makeup; compiled fabrication sheets and production packets
• Researched and prepared presentation books for special events dresses
• Illustrated A/W 2004 & Cruise 2005 sales books
2001 - 2002 Freelance AUSTIN, TX & LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
• Developed custom residential designs, renovations and installations; rendered 3-D architectural models
• Designed and produced costumes for Salvage Vanguard Theater
1998-2001 Kinesoft Development, Inc. (PC Game Developers) AUSTIN, TX, USA
Art Director
• Directed art production, concept art, technical documentation, and promotional graphics
• Managed nine-member art staff; coordinated the art team with the design and programming teams
• Scheduled and coordinated art assets and production; developed technical and creative art processes that balanced visual style with technical parameters
1994-1998 Origin Systems (owned by Electronic Arts) AUSTIN, TX, USA
Lead Artist/Graphic Designer – Privateer Online
• Produced digital art for computer games - 3D models, 2D textures and graphics, animation
• Created concept illustration including characters, costumes, creatures, environments, objects, propaganda art
• Lead art team by defining goals, aesthetic direction, technical specifications, and schedules
Advanced Graphic Specialist – Wing Commander Prophecy, Crusader: No Regret & Crusader: No Remorse
• Produced 60% of art assets on a seven-person team
EDUCATION
2002 - 2005 Central St. Martin’s College, University of the Arts London LONDON, UK
BA (Honours) Fashion Design – Women’s Wear
Collection press review: “Best of the bunch had to be Amy Adams’s delicate pastel-draped and artfully wrapped dresses…” - David Hayes, “It’s Strictly Ballroom for Students,” Evening Standard [London], 1 June, 2005, p.7
1993 - 1996 University of Texas & Austin Community College AUSTIN, TX, USA
Coursework towards BFA
• Life drawing, 2D Design, 3D Design, Calculus, Pascal Programming, Mechanical Physics, Electrical & Magnetic Physics
• Intaglio Printmaking, Ceramics, Woodworking, Welding, Life Drawing, Painting; Amado Peña Scholarship Recipient
PRESS
• Vogue.com, Mackenzie Bezos in ‘Special Edition Best Dressed: The 2012 Met Gala’
• WashingtonPost.com, Arianne Phillips in ‘The Seven Dresses That Wowed in Person on the Oscar Red Carpet’
• Stylelist.com, Viola Davis at Academy Award Luncheon, ‘Look of the Day’
• WWD, Cate Blanchett at ‘The Ever Changing Face of Beauty Party’
• HarpersBazaar.co.uk, Freida Pinto at the LA Premiere of ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’
• 2005 Central Saint Martins’ Press Show & Invitational Press Show
• Drapers Weekly Record [UK], “Top of the Class: The Pick of the Graduate Shows,” p. 18, June 19, 2005
• Evening Standard, “It’s Strictly Ballroom for Students,” Wednesday, June 1, 2005, p. 7
“Best of the bunch had to be Amy Adams’s delicate pastel-draped and artfully wrapped dresses…”
• Superblow Magazine [UK], Editorial feature, Issue 3, September 2005
