Operations Specialist

● Design innovative apparel and accessories by synthesizing market trends, client insights, and industry forecasts, resulting in a 20% increase in client satisfaction scores.
● Leverage advanced skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to develop detailed and visually compelling design sketches, ensuring alignment with project specifications and brand aesthetics.
● Perform trend research and analysis, generating actionable reports with recommendations on color, pattern, and style directions based on both current and emerging trends.
● Develop in-depth trend direction reports for internal use and client presentations, facilitating informed decision-making.
● Successfully manages client relationships, delivering trend insights and design solutions for prominent brands such as Cat & Jack, Goodfellow & Co, 1212 Organic, and Eberjey.
● Oversee operational workflows, ensuring seamless collaboration between design, production, and marketing teams to meet project deadlines and quality standards.

● Transitioned apparel from third-party vendor reliance to in-house design and production by establishing direct relationships with factories, sourcing high-quality materials, and overseeing the design, fitting, and production processes.
● Designed seven comprehensive seasonal collections, each featuring 50 to 100 styles, achieving an average 25% increase in sales volume year-over-year due to enhanced product appeal and market alignment.
● Directed all aspects of apparel creation, from initial sketches to final production, ensuring alignment with the brand’s aesthetics and performance standards.
● Developed and implemented structured processes for fit, sampling, approvals, packaging, labeling, and branding, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and product quality.
● Created detailed manuals for labeling, packaging, and graphic design best practices, standardizing quality and submission processes across the team.
● Established a comprehensive time and action calendar, optimizing project timelines and achieving a 98% adherence rate to project milestones, fostering seamless collaboration between internal teams and external vendor partners.

● Expanded and structured the design team by recruiting 2 assistants, 2 designers, and managing a cross-functional team of patternmakers and sample sewers, optimizing workflow efficiency and team performance.
● Directed the end-to-end design and production process for Target’s Xhilaration swimwear line (now Wild Fable), coordinating the development of 80+ swim styles per delivery to meet strict deadlines and quality standards.
● Developed annual trend presentations and trend books for Target’s upper management and buying team, including a global color palette and trend direction, culminating in a strategic presentation to key stakeholders.
● Generated substantial revenue through the design of multiple best-selling styles, including one style that sold over 400,000 units and generated approximately $6 million in sales over three years.
● Streamlined communication and issue resolution by collaborating with the merchandising team to address updates, mitigate roadblocks, and resolve production challenges, ensuring alignment with project timelines and strategic objectives.
● Coordinated and managed international business travel logistics, including frequent visits to Asia, to oversee factory operations, facilitate vendor collaboration, and ensure adherence to quality assurance standards and project milestones