FRAN ABRAMOWICZ
** ********* ****** ***, ********, Connecticut 06070 H. 814-***-**** ************@*****.***
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/fran-abramowicz-37145b4 Website. www.franabramowiczdesigns.com
SENIOR DESIGN EXECUTIVE DESIGN DIRECTOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Building Brands - Design Process Creation & Deployment - Trend - Surface Design - Print & Pattern Design & Repeat
Advanced graphic design - WEB PDM - P&L - Business Development - Product Development – Merchandising – Licensing Line Building - Graphic illustration - Operations – Business Planning – Marketing - Leading Teams – Mentor
Brand-driven Senior Design Executive with a Degree in Fashion Design, delivering outstanding returns building brands and driving business to new and exciting levels of performance. Successful Design executive with a proven record of strong leadership and results helping build brands to drive top and bottom line growth. Develops brand and design concepts that result in market share gains driving millions of dollars in revenue. A design leader that sees opportunities others sometimes miss. Extensive product development experience, understanding the importance of clear, specific goals and direction, while managing design teams in the most efficient ways possible. Charismatic and articulate. Champion of professionalism.
SUCCESSES - ACHEIVEMENTS - ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Design Director for 5 women's apparel brands & 2 men's brands with annual sales ranging from $87 to $250 million. Directed CAD/Print Direction & Development & Seasonal Trend & Palette.
Design Director with the ability to empower design teams, so that all members can reach their full potential. Inspiring design teams and clients, to push beyond boundaries and achieve shared goals. Explore and implement new ways for teams to collaborate with each other.
Proven history of managing cross-functional teams to create a powerful, effective, and coherent design solution. Product Design, Print Design appropriate for the given brand identity.
Mastery in multiple areas of expertise including Seasonal Trend & Color Palette. Highly proactive with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, high integrity, pragmatism, professionalism, and efficiency. Creative, hands-on professional with expertise in graphic design, art direction and project.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES – CAREER HISTORY
BLAIR / BLUESTEM, Warren PA http://www.bluestem.com 2012 – August 2017
*** Bluestem Brands, Inc., headquartered in suburban Minneapolis, is the parent company to 13 dynamic eCommerce retail brands. We are as strong and determined and adaptive as the prairie grass for which we’re named. Whether it’s through our unique retail business model, our diversity of brands, or our company culture, we are forging our own path. With roughly $2 billion in annual sales, we at Bluestem have our sights set high.
Design Director
Overseas Directors & Suppliers - All Brand Seasonal Trend Presentations. All Brand Print & Pattern Development and Production Repeat. Product Development; Daily correspondence with overseas merchants, directors & suppliers.
Managed a team of Product Mastery in multiple areas of expertise including Seasonal Trend & Color Palette. Specialists for all brands on a daily basis in all approvals and quality submittals. Production sign off and approvals.
Trained and mentored design on a daily basis as well as personal development goals. Creation & Implementation of Product Development Seasonal Calendars. International travel for factory supplier development and approvals, Deli/ Hong Kong / Shanghai
CREATIVE CONSULTANTS, Warren, PA 2012-2017
Design Director - Blair / Bluestem
Freelance Development of the Katie Kozloff / Taffy Activewear collection of Women’s Plus Size Activewear label launch. Development of Exclusive Production Repeat Print / Pattern & Silhouette.
*** EARLIER CAREER POSITIONS INCLUDE: Senior Designer, LANE BRYANT, Columbus, Ohio/Senior Design Manager/Intimates KOHL'S/Senior Design Manager and CAD Manager, SAKS INCORPORATED
EDUCATION
Fashion Institute of Technology Associate's degree, FASHION DESIGN, 1980
Southeastern Massachusetts University Textile Design
Photoshop - Proficient in Adobe CS5