* Creative: Creating and drawing designs that are brand appropriate. * Product Knowledgeable: Able to introduce new vendors and maintain high, brand-appropriate product standards. * Strategic: Strong skill set strength building a brand recognizable identity with integrity and aesthetic presence. Able to combine innovative design specifications with manufacturing guidelines, deadlines and budgetary boundaries. * Communicator: Strong team work and bilingual skills in communicating with manufacturers. * Ambitious: Constantly driven to create an attractive, well-constructed, and unique product for all demographics.
* Responsible for leading design process combining brand heritage with innovation. *Sourcing and selecting color and leather product for each collection. *Developed design specifications for all segments of women's shoe structures: lasts, heels, uppers, hardware and soles. *Collaborated with European technicians to insure successful implementation of design. *Strategized with merchandising & sales for the marketing and successful roll-out of each collection. *Participated in the production of all runway presentations, by designing appropriate footwear for each new collection.
* Collaborated with Creative Director to insure coordination between footwear collection and other products in the brand. *Evaluated color and material research and product sourcing. *Corrected and approved product prototypes. *Communicated directly with factories and technical engineering teams in Italy.
* Designed brand appropriate clothing product utilizing Valentino archives as inspiration. *Selected fabrics and treatments for each collection in collaboration with senior designers. *Coordinated garment fittings with in-house tailors and seamstresses.
* Collaborated with design studio, selecting images and colors for seasonable mood book.
* Designed all aspects of both women's and men's shoe collections.