Dragana Stojiljkovic
Manager with 10 years of experience in the Fashion & Luxury industry, bringing a cross-functional perspective across the entire product lifecycle, from concept and development to industrialization and market launch, gained through bespoke projects and seasonal collections for leading international brands. Combines technical expertise, creative sensitivity and strategic thinking to manage product at the intersection of creative vision, industrial feasibility, commercial relevance and brand strategy. Recognized for initiative, ownership and the ability to lead teams and cross-functional processes, navigate complexity and drive execution.
• Led end-to-end product development across bespoke projects and seasonal collections for leading luxury brands, acting as the key interface between client requirements and creative, technical and commercial functions. • Directed approximately 3,000 product developments annually across seasonal collections and bespoke projects for a broad client portfolio, balancing concurrent deadlines and production constraints while meeting quality standards and delivery timelines. • Served as a central decision-making point across R&D, Production, Laboratory, Quality, Marketing and Sales, managing cross-functional trade-offs to accelerate decision-making and improve operational efficiency. • Built and maintained strategic relationships with suppliers and commercial stakeholders, aligning product development with business priorities. • Expanded and developed the supplier base, negotiating pricing and MOQs with established partners while scouting alternative and innovative suppliers at international trade shows, achieving cost savings of up to 15% while maintaining quality standards and creating new opportunities for product differentiation. • Led an R&D team of 6 while coordinating 50+ cross-functional resources involved throughout the development process, optimizing priorities, accountability and workflow while increasing the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously. • Held final responsibility for product validation and industrialization, securing manufacturing feasibility and quality compliance while reducing critical issues during the transition from development to production. • Planned and delivered 6 international trade shows per year, including Milano Unica, Première Vision and Lineapelle, defining collection direction, overseeing sample development and aligning product storytelling with commercial objectives. • Developed seasonal collections from trend, material and new finishing-technique research through the development and industrialization of material solutions, overseeing processes including dyeing, coating, backing, embossing, lamination and other specialty finishes, while ensuring alignment across innovation, technical performance and industrial feasibility. • Facilitated material certification processes by researching and selecting certified and more responsible material solutions in coordination with the Sustainability team
• Research and identify fabric trends, themes, concepts, from a variety of sources and inspirations in order to inform the next textile design project • Create moodboard and collection concept • Develop new fabrics from samples stage to final product and usher in new fabric production technologies • Work closely with suppliers to purchase raw material • Organize and oversee all steps of production of new collection • Work on footwear and bag prototypes so as to demonstrate to the clients fabric“results” and the right application of the fabric • Give instructions for swatch card creation, and the creation of physical fabric hanger samples for trade shows • Acknowledge and accommodate custom design fabric development requests made by the inside Sales office including requests from customers (high-end brands).