In my role as Product Management Specialist, I oversee the lifecycle of the product, both outsourced and made on site. Trend Research- Using WGSN to plan color palettes for upcoming seasonal product launches, as well as researching style trends to drive design of the main products-Creating mood boards and presenting these findings to the sales and marketing teamsProduct and Inventory Planning-Using trend research to allocate raw materials into seasons-Assisting with raw material allocation by moving inventory to correct locations in Fishbowl and adding data to the correct allocation line sheet-Helping forecast finished good quantities for each season-Assisting with preparing for the annual raw materials buying trip in Tucson, Arizona-Assisting with adding the information of recently purchased raw materials into Fishbowl-Updating data in the pertinent line sheets each week for the CEO and Creative Director to reviewProduct Management-Assisting with the research of products that are trending in home goods, tabletop, home décor, etc.-Creating print and pattern designs for products like placemats-Developing ideas for new products or product extensions, including finding reference images, sketching concepts, and creating spec pages-Sourcing and vetting new vendors, and maintaining relationships with current vendors-Managing vendor workload and staying in constant communication with the vendors-Calculating the most cost-effective ways to produce new product, as well as maintaining the production schedule-Reviewing samples and sending comments and/or revisions in a timely manner to the vendor-Adding and maintaining the data in the seasonal product line sheets-Coordinating with the freelance photographers to photograph product for the website and direct mailers-Organizing and maintaining the physical seasonal product -Assisting with the printing, scanning, and application of RFID tags for all products

Worked hand in hand with the creator of Polygons to Plastics to get his small business up and running.- Assisting with the website design and layout- Setting up and running several social media accounts- Maintaining the online store- Worked with artists to design and produce their 2D artwork in plush format, which included ideation, pattern making, prototyping, sewing, packaging, photographing and editing images of the final product, and marketing, all from my home studio in Chicago.

- Assisting in the creation of tech packs for drink ware, stationary, home goods, and accessories for Claire’s over 12 age group and Icing brands- Assisting with the design and ideation of new products in the above categories based on seasonal trends- Creating technical flats and custom prints for products

Worked with the Ashton-Drake Galleries team. - Created innovative concepts for fully dressed collectible dolls and accessories- Managed the process from concept to final product- Created original prints and patterns for costumes and accessories- Presented 3-4 new concepts monthly with market research and art direction- Created detailed spec sheets- Market research of baby clothing, fashion trends, and the doll and toy industry- Managed multiple programs simultaneously, while keeping track of due dates and scheduling - Gave clear directions to vendors- Gave clear direction to the sourcing agent to get the most accurate costs for a concept- Gave clear direction to the photographers and designers to get the best images of the product for the ads and website- Also in charge of multiple administrative tasks

Worked with the jewelry design team. Designed over 100 pieces of jewelry for future collections, 10 of which went into production for FW 17. Responsibilities included: - Designing original jewelry and redesigning existing pieces- Creating technical flats, tech packs, and spec sheets- Researching 2017 jewelry trends- Assisting with quality control- Helping with trade shows and pop up shops

Worked on the Female Fashion Tops Team for Hollister. Responsibilities included:- Creating initial tech packs and updating original tech packs- Creating initial patterns for vendors- Measuring and recording notes for samples- Assisting with fit sessions and revising patterns - Creating detail pages in Illustrator- Taking notes during fit sessions, writing fit comments, entering measurements into PLM- Basic organizing of samples

Assisted with hand-making metal jewelry designed by Dana Reed, and selling her jewelry at The Shops at North Bridge on Michigan Ave in Chicago. Responsibilities included: - Assisting with set up and selling at art shows- Assisting with the creation of a jewelry reference guide for employees- Was top seller 2 months in a row at the store, sold approx. $4,000 worth of product

Worked with the jewelry design team. Designed over 30 pieces of jewelry for FW 15/SS 16, 14 of which were sold. Responsibilities included: - Designing original jewelry and redesigning existing pieces- Creating technical flats, tech packs, and spec sheets- Researching 2015 jewelry trends- Assisting with processing wholesale and retail orders- Assisting with quality control and cleaning of jewelry- Assisting with trade shows and pop up shops

Worked on the Female Sweaters Team for Hollister. Responsibilities included: - Creating initial tech packs and updating original tech packs- Creating detail pages in Adobe Illustrator- Measuring and recording notes for samples- Assisting with fit sessions and revising patterns - Creating detail pages in Illustrator- Taking notes during fit sessions, writing fit comments, entering measurements into PLM- Basic organizing of samples