KARLTON EVANS

New York, NY *****

adbxat@r.postjobfree.com 917-***-**** www.karltonevans.com

VISUAL MERCHANDISING EXECUTIVE

Brand Strategist Trend Innovator Experiential Designer I see brands as individual states of consciousness. They are like us, they don’t just want to be heard, and seen. They want to be understood and embraced; they want a meaningful connection with the consumer. My creative passion for visual merchandising, graphic design, styling, display, and store design will bring your brand to life in a meaningful way that will relate to your targeted audience. Never before has a brand’s visual language been so crucial to the business. In the age of the "blink and you’ll miss it" attention spans, your visual identity acts as shorthand, expressing your brand’s personality, aesthetic, and values literally at a glance. This represents a paradigm shift in the creative process. I understand the importance that both Art & Commerce play in a congested retail market on a global scale. My strong suite lies in creating innovative merchandising strategies and display techniques that will set your brand apart. Creative Visual Leader developing innovative approaches and solutions to resolve complex business challenges and deliver market impact. Develops visual languages that resonate with the consumer, influence mood, promote brand recognition, and customer loyalty.

§ Omni-Channel Retail Insights: Recognizes that consumers thrive in a multifaceted retail experience and success is built on awareness of evolving shopping patterns and being the catalyst for what is new, now, and next. Provides creative input spanning multiple marketing initiatives: retail stores, Internet, direct mail.

§ Product Development Strategy: Champions branded private label product initiatives through innovative high level showroom layout. Manages product lifecycle from initial concept to in-store customer facing displays and styling national marketing campaigns and collateral.

§ Store Design Aligned With Customer Experience: Develops distinct, visionary spaces that seamlessly blend art and commerce. Creates experiences that engage and inspire. Understands brand personality, tone of voice, values, and the overall emotions associated with the “branded experience” in an over saturated marketplace. EXPERIENCE

ASCENA RETAIL GROUP: DRESSBARN, New York, NY and Mahwah, NJ 2013 – 2018 Director of Visual Merchandising and Design Services Direct all brand visual merchandising creative, window display, store design, product styling, interiors, and product development showrooms for multi-channel retailer with gross sales of $2 billion and 835 retail stores. Touch all levels of consumer engagement -retail stores, Pop up shops, Internet, advertising and direct mail.

§ Spearheaded special events including Editor’s Day, Store Manager Conference and Board of Directors meetings, showcasing new products to diverse target audiences while maintaining consistency and brand integrity.

§ Conceptualized, communicated seasonal design trends into concepts for product showroom presentations, windows, store design, marketing and interiors. Pulling and styling trend looks for Marketing collateral. Partnered with Design, Merchandising, and Marketing teams.

§ Developed new visual merchandising directives and tools to better communicate objectives to retail stores, increasing unit capacity on selling floor by 13% and reducing payroll requirements through improved self-service.

§ Partnered with outside design agency to develop 3 new store prototypes in Orlando, FL; Nanuet, NJ; and Little Rock, AK; reducing footprint while increasing dollars per square foot, resulting in 17% lift in the first 6 months.

§ Re-branded company visual language around dresses changing customer perception and moving brand into new level of consumer awareness with design and installation of DressBAR pop up shop on 5 th

Avenue in New York

City. Created special events for guest designers Ashley Graham, Carmen Marc Valvo, Tulest and targeted events with In Style and O Magazine.

ETIENNE AIGNER, New York, NY 2012 – 2012

Karlton Evans Creative Services

Consultant: Director of Store Design and Visual Merchandising Spearhead design and installation of first US freestanding shop, located in SoHo District. Develop strong strategic partnerships promoting effective communication across all levels and functional areas of the organization. KARLTON EVANS PAGE 2 OF 2

ETIENNE AIGNER, (Continued)

§ Designed and installed first Etienne Aigner freestanding store in New York City's Soho District including fixtures and branded display elements. Partnered with executive teams to realize their vision.

§ Leveraged cross-functional and external partners to deliver the most impact within budget while identifying efficiencies, navigating change, and delivering results under pressure.

§ Conceptualized, designed, sourced and executed elevated fashion forward windows displays for SoHo location. TALBOTS, New York, NY and Boston, MA 2009 – 2012

Senior Director of Field Visual Merchandising – US and Canada Led development and implementation of the Field Visual Merchandising organization for multi-channel retailer with gross sales of $1 billion. Directed team of 5 Regional Visual Managers, Director of Visual Merchandising, directing merchandise and window presentation, visual display for 625 retail stores and 22 outlet stores across US and Canada.

§ Launched comprehensive In-store visual training seminar programs to build visual awareness in merchandising techniques, and visual standards. Raised level of consistent execution in the field organization. Communicate company standards and disseminate monthly direction roadmaps to field leadership and store teams

§ Developed store prototype for GSP creating an enhanced customer experience, while staying true original residential branded voice. Spearheaded the “Re-Fresh” store strategy. ADDITIONAL RETAIL ENGAGEMENTS

FOREVER 21, New York, NY 2005 – 2009

Regional Visual Merchandising Manager

Interpreted corporate visual direction for Northeast Region leading a team of 28. Oversaw 200+ doors, for multi- channel retailer with gross sales of $2.8B. Developed comprehensive display direction for 3 New York City locations. BANANA REPUBLIC, New York, NY 2004 – 2005

District Visual Market Manager

Interpreted corporate merchandising direction for 7 High Profile Manhattan locations, including training seminars and led visual team of 12. Conceptualized and executed elevated presentation strategies for 5th Avenue & SoHo locations. BURBERRY, New York, NY 2003 – 2004

Director of Visual Merchandising

Developed the visual merchandising direction for wholesale division of brand, incorporating strategies based on retail initiatives elevating Shop-in-Shop presentations for major department store partners. FEDERATED MERCHANDISING GROUP, New York, NY 1999 – 2003 Visual Merchandising Manager for RTW and Accessories

– Developed monthly corporate visual directive for 6 RTW brands; INC, Alfani, Charter Club, Style & Co, Style & Co Collection, JM Collection, and 2 accessories brands; Alfani Shoes, Charter Club Jewelry & Handbags.

– Developed private label brand statements with merchants and marketing teams for 7 domestic divisions of Federated Department Stores: Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Burdines, Riches, Lazarus, Goldsmith, and The Bon Marche; and 3 international partners: Kosugi Sanyo – Japan, Meyers Grace – Australia, and Hudson Bay – Canada THE LIMITED, New York, NY 1997 – 1999

Visual Merchandising Manager

LAUNDRY BY SHELLI SEGAL, New York, NY 1996 – 1997

Regional Director of Visual Merchandising

EDUCATION

BFA Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, Major: Fashion Design State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, Major: Architecture

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