Design Sales

CHARICE COLLINS

**** ****** ***** **., ****** Elm, TX 75068

TEL: 972-***-**** E-Mail: abmdoq@r.postjobfree.com

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful, hands on Fashion Designer/ Professional with proven ability to

provide proactive leadership and team building in developing a corporate

work environment conducive to drive superior product development and

increase financial/ business growth while upholding company brand promise.

Also known for design innovation, forward thinking and inspired product

assortment. Fully knowledgeable in all aspects of design, merchandising,

and product development from garment conception to product prototype. A

change agent in the fashion industry demonstrating areas of excellence in:

- Staff Management & Development - Line/ Collection

Building

- Organization/ Team Building - Product

Development

- Budgeting/ Cash Management - Trend, Fabric and

Color Research & Development - Strategic Planning

- Technical Specifications & Garment Fit Evaluation

- Inventory & Cost Control - Illustration,

Concept Boards and Presentations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Freelance Design Consultant May 2005-

November 2009

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., Plano, TX

Manuel Designs, Frisco, TX

. Areas of consultation include: Handbags & Accessories, Newborn, Infant &

Toddler, Intimate Apparel and Junior's Tops and Bottoms (Knits & Wovens)

. Assisted in design process and concepts (from conception to final garment

production), working closely with Design, Product Development, Sourcing

and Technical Design Teams.

. Utilized illustration skills (both hand and computer) in artwork

development to be used for product package assembly, presentations,

technical design department, sales materials and company advertising.

. Initiated and updated all product packages with measurements, comments

and artwork.

. Generated and compiled running artwork and trim files.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

. Illustrations were used as a sales tool in meetings with buyers during

New York fashion week.

Chair of Fashion Design Program

American Intercontinental University (AIU), Dallas, TX

July 2004- January 2005

. Managed and oversaw department faculty. Including, hiring, conducting

performance appraisals, scheduling and developing strategies to manage

the workload for direct reports.

. Mentored students by assisting with registration, academic advisement,

transcript evaluation and portfolio reviews.

. Established and monitored above standard levels of student retention,

maintain curriculum currency and program.

. Restructured and maintained program curriculum, including creating class

syllabi, on-line courses and course outlines.

. Developed and managed annual operating budget.

. Created internship programs to establish potential work opportunities for

students upon graduation.

. Directed, planned and oversaw all program special events and fashion

shows.

. Taught full time course load and assigned course load to all full-time

and adjunct faculty members.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

. Acknowledged by Vice President of Academic Affairs for exceptional staff

and student development, motivational and team building techniques.

. Collectively met and collaborated with all other AIU Fashion Chairs

create a new, innovative and comprehensive curriculum for the Fashion

Design Department to encompass hands on 'real world' experience and to

ensure students preparedness for today's fashion industry.

Designer- Delicates Brand & Sr. Assistant Designer- Arizona Brand

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., Plano, TX

December 2001 - June 2004

. Designed private label fashion collections and seasonal product lines for

the following categories while maintaining the corporate brand profile.

Delicates Brand: Sleepwear, Bras, Panty, Loungewear, Robes, and Special

occasion categories; Arizona Brand: Denim inspired Young Men's Knit and

Woven Tops and Boys and Girls Newborn, Infant & Toddler Knits, Wovens,

Tops and Bottoms.

. Led a variety of design disciplines and teams in the development of

creative vision to build concepts, presentations and trend right product

while maintaining quality standards and adhering to all time lines.

. Managed all design assistants/ trainees ensuring they were well trained

in all aspects of production and operations.

. Established superior relationships with all manufacturers through

exceptional and timely communication regarding all garment submissions

(i.e.: lab dips, strike-offs, handlooms and knit-downs for print and

solid submissions and shade bands).

. Utilized illustration and CAD skills, product packaging/ specification

knowledge and technical design and fit expertise.

. Traveled domestic and international markets to conduct trend, inspiration

and fabric research as well as to attend trade shows and to oversee

sample production.

. Collaborated and coordinated with Sourcing, Product Development, Textile

Design, Technical Design and Buying Teams throughout all phases of

development; focusing on short and long term planning, the execution of

seasonal strategies, maintaining all line plans, set sell dates and

production schedules.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

. Grew 20% increase in sales within the first season of designing.

. Acknowledged by Senior Management and Manufacturers for effectively

streamlining product review/ development process.

. Successfully managed six seasonal product lines and design assistants

each season.

. Introduced innovative fabrication resources into the product assortment

by bringing in various companies to present new fabric technologies.

. First Designer in the history of the company to design for the Sleepwear/

Lingerie departments.

Technical Designer

SaraMax Apparel Group, Inc., New York, NY October

2000- December 2001

. Managed technical flat system for all Men's, Women's, Girls, Boys and

Plus Size designs in Loungewear and Intimate Apparel Lines for Private

Label and Branded Programs.

. Mastered the use of Animated Imaging (Ai) Software Program; creating

grading standards, technical specifications, flat sketches, line

sheets, and all correlating spreadsheets pertinent to proper fit and

mass production.

. Expertly skilled at evaluating and solving grading, fit and technical

problems pertaining to product design.

Sportswear Designer

D & L Apparel, New York, NY November 1998-

October 2000

. Designed Men's and Women's Sportswear & Casual Daywear Collections for

Wholesale Company.

. Managed design team and directed extensive research, trend

interpretation, theme and concept development, sample and final garment

production.

. Assisted in company photo shoots, marketing and strategy meeting, garment

merchandising show room and trade show layouts and traveling to

manufacturers.

HIGHLIGHTS OF DESIGN CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

. Designed Junior's and Women's collections for such Private Brands as

Kathy Lee, Faded Glory, Mossimo, Cherokee and Bobbie Brooks. (2001)

. Designed Boys and Men's, Knits, Woven Tops and Outerwear. (2001)

. Assisted in designing costumes for On & Off-Broadway productions with

Tony Award winning costume Designer William Ivey Long. Worked on such

productions as, "Chicago", "Smoking Joe's Caf ", "Annie Get your Gun" and

"Cabaret". (1998-1999)

. Designed Women's Wear Collections, (knits and woven) for wholesale

company in New York City. (1997-1998)

. Organize and Orchestrate Bi-annual fashion shows showcasing the works of

Local Designers. (1996-1997)

. Designed seasonal Men's and Women's Athletic and Gym Wear inspired

collections for an athletic wear company. Also designed company graphics

and logo driven products; increasing brand/ logo identity by developing

cross categorical product tie- ins. (1995-1997)

. Coordinated in store fashion shows/ events; including model fittings,

garment selection, styling and merchandising all looks to encompass cross-

departmental items, for a major Retail Department Store. (1995- 1996)

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Design

Skilled in the following areas: Visual planning and organizing,

merchandising, technical sketching, technical specifications, flat

patterning, draping and drafting, professional sewing (hand and machine),

design problem solving, fashion editorial writing, fashion styling, fashion

illustration and fashion/ design student instruction (undergraduate/

graduate).

Computer

Excellent computer skills, using the following programs as Design, Graphics

and Business tools: Certified in Gerber Ackumark Grading and Marking

System, Animated Imaging (Ai), Style Manager, Style Publisher, Adobe

PhotoShop, Illustrator, In- Design and Bridge, Quark Express, Info Design,

Monarch Design System, Painter Five, MicroGrafx, Microsoft Outlook, Excel

and Power Point, Microsoft- Picture It, Word Perfect, Excel, Power Point,

Lotus Notes, Quicken, Access, Web PDM, U-4ia and Picture Publisher.

AWARDS/ AFFILIATIONS

. Certificate- JCPenney Performance Leadership Program (2004)

. Fashion Incubator Group, Dallas Chapter- Member and served on the Board

of Education (2004-2005)

. Fashion Group International, Dallas Chapter- Member (2004-2005)

. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority- Member

. Award- Oscar De La Renta: Best Graduate Collection, (1997)

. Award- National Association of Men's Sportswear Buyers (NAMSB): Best

Men's Wear Collection, (1997)

EDUCATION

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA Masters of Science

Degree in Fashion Design, 1997

West Chester University, West Chester, PA Bachelors of Arts

Degree in Psychology, 1993

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