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Heather Barksdale

Creative Director / Head of Design / Design Director / Creative Consultant
Portfolio website
http://heatherdaddona.com
About

Heather D'Addona is a design professional with over 20 years of experience, working for International brands such as Tara Jarmon, Banana Republic, Elie Tahari, Nicole Miller, and Apostrophe. As a creative head with assured skills in forecasting trends, she brings the ability to create a strong brand identity with a proven track record in promoting company growth. Her experience as an innovative leader managing design teams, sourcing development and working collaboratively, creates unique and brand-right concepts that result in incredible fashion collections.

Previous Brands
Banana Republic, Gap Inc.
Elie Tahari
HMB Paris
Nicole Miller
Tara Jarmon Officiel
Work Experience
Senior Designer Accessories and Ready to Wear
Feb ‘18 - Mar ‘23
Tara Jarmon Officiel

Lead the conceptualization and design of leather goods, footwear, and jewelry, including the creation of a new line of premium leather handbags Sourced production partners and materials to ensure high quality and timely delivery of accessories and ready-to-wear collection Managed product development directly with suppliers throughout lifecycle from design conception through production handoffs Collaborated with other departments to ensure seamless integration of designs into the production process Managed junior designers and oversee their work to ensure designs meet high quality standards, providing mentorship and guidance to facilitate their professional growth Achieved sales growth in retail and wholesale, 2022 vs. 2021

Creative Director / Creative Consultant
Jan ‘17 - Now
HMB Paris

Led development of luxury handbag collection, made in Italy, from design concepts, material sourcing, to visual identity and branding Awarded place in Creative Link business mentorship program, Creative Hub (Bern, CH) Provided expert guidance and creative direction to clients including Jimmy Fairly, Apostrophe, WGSN, Ethical Fashion Initiative, Crème Fraiche Attended Copenhagen Fashion Summit to expand knowledge of ecological practices Conducted international trend and market research, including store reports, Première Vision and Lineapelle Sourced production partners and negotiated with factories to ensure timely delivery and optimum design execution Managed product development in collaboration with team throughout lifecycle from design conception through production Built and managed a team of designers and other creative professionals to ensure smooth execution of the project

Sr Designer/ Design Studio Manager
Jan ‘11 - Jan ‘15
Tara Jarmon Officiel

Managed work flow of designers to create and develop full ready-to-wear collection, involving line plan creation and product analysis Conducted fabric research and development, selected color palettes, and designed embroideries and trims Oversaw the development and execution of design concepts, ensuring that collections met high quality standards Managed product development in collaboration with team throughout lifecycle from design conception through production handoffs. Mentored junior team members and provided guidance to facilitate their professional growth Lead seasonal collection presentations to international agents with design studio

Sr. Designer Women's Wovens /Women's Knits
Jan ‘02 - Jun ‘08
Banana Republic, Gap Inc.

Directed the concept and design of dresses, tailoring, skirts, and cut-and-sew knit collection Conducted seasonal research and product development, including fittings, fabric, and trims Achieved 50 percent increase in 2007 sales vs. 2006 in dress category as a result Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of designs into the production process resulting in greater buy in of collection via merchandisers Built and managed a team of designers to ensure smooth execution of the design process

Designer
Jan ‘01 - Jan ‘02
Elie Tahari

Designed collection including outerwear, jackets, dresses, pants, denim, & leather Managed design team on embroidery layouts and swatch development direction Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth execution of the design process Mentored junior team members and provided guidance to facilitate their professional growth Communicated with overseas factories and offices from development though production.

Designer
Jan ‘98 - Jan ‘00
Nicole Miller

Designed ready-to-wear and runway collection presented bi-annually as part of New York Fashion Week Lead design for custom made couture pieces for press events and VIP clients Designed costumes for Cyndi Lauper US tour Mentored junior team members and provided guidance to facilitate their professional growth Conducted extensive sourcing of international fabric market and trims Created original print, beading, and embroidery layouts

Languages
English - Native
Italian - Work Proficiency
French - Fluent
Location Preference
Open to relocation
Work Pattern
Full-time
Part-time
Employment Preference
Freelance Assignments
Permanent Positions
Hourly Consulting
Education & Training
Rhode Island School of Design
‘94 - ‘98
BFA
Apparel Design