Vanessa Fors Email & Phone Number

Richmond

Spring 2024: Fashion Buying, Fashion Marketing Program 2nd yearSpring 2023: Textile Science, Fashion Marketing Program 1st yearSpring 2012: Event Planning and Promotion, Fashion Design Program 4th year

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

• Manage team of talented designers, developers and coordinators towards 3 seasonal launches per year.
• Delivered the business case for sustainability for the organization.
• Improve processes within the department.
• Research PLM implementation.
• Up-Skill the team through coaching and mentoring.
• Line management to improve GM and SKU efficiency.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Burnaby, BC

• Built full-scale recreational water-life brand by effectively managing the product for various categories
• Sustainability Working Group member
• Presented overall category business direction and Go to Market strategy of categories by channel, including E-Commerce
• Researched market & consumer trends, analyzed and synthesized to create 5-10 year product road maps
• Worked closely with Research and Technology department on innovation roadmaps and how to integrate into product briefs
• Connected with end users to gain insights, develop product design briefs that highlight financial targets, solve consumer needs and clarify market positioning

Richmond, BC

• Consistently met growth goals for the N.American sportswear business by effectively managing the product mix
• Go to Market strategy of all categories sold to each channel including vertical, E-commerce, specialty and key accounts
• Increased gross margins year over year, through cost management on SMUs, price negotiations, and inventory management
• Planned key account meetings and conducted product knowledge of buyers, and account managers in Canada and USA
• Global travel to factories to monitor SMU development
• Researched North American trends and fed back to Head Office in Oslo, Norway to complete design insights

Burnaby, BC

• Maintained brand competitive by monitoring the custom apparel industry landscape
• Created consumer focused product briefs by garnering feedback from sales force
• Collaborated with marketing and design teams to launch products on time and within budget
• Worked with marketing teams to create, deploy and optimize effective campaigns for team cycling industry
• Developed product documentation to communicate and align key components of upcoming features and products to internal teams

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

• Achieved optimal production productivity by liaising with multiple departments to ensure efficient use of fabric and resources
• Managed production costs by regularly travelling to Asia to monitor development and production and consistently analyzing profit margins
• Brought the designer's vision to life within budget by working closely with factory partners offshore
• Trained new hires on department processes

Vancouver, Canada Area

• Created and managed an online store that sold unique fashion and accessories designed by local Vancouver talent. The website showcased local talent while supplying Designers and Artists with tools and networking.

• Increased student recruitment by 25% by leveraging industry specific social media tools to recruit students and promote graduates
• Provided excellent support to fashion students and teachers as well as the university building operations allowing for a smooth operation of daily activities so that the students can thrive in their studies.

Vancouver, Canada Area

• Ensured a profitable product assortment by monitoring sales, costs and margins
• Designed full product range for girls sized 3-12 including shoes and accessories for retail stores through the use of research and forecasting tools such as Worth Global Style Network
• Travelled for design inspiration.

Vancouver, Canada Area

• Delivered product designs for a target market through extensive research involving analyzing and forecasting sales and trends, travelling to the USA and across Canada for trade shows, and sales meetings
• Improved on-time delivery of sales samples by implementing company-wide timelines to align departments
• Increased product knowledge of key account buyers, and USA account managers by preparing and delivering presentations on seasonal lines

Vancouver, Canada Area

• Improved development and production by managing work load and communication between Production and Design departments
• Improved quality of product by conducting quality control at factory level and implementing process improvement as needed.
• Involved in the merchandising and opening of its first 3 retail locations.

Whistler/Squamish/Vancouver

• Helped start a women's action sports apparel brand through R&D, focus group interviews and sourcing.
• Designed clothing and accessories for a women's brand that targeted the action sports lifestyle of snowboarding in the winter and downhill mountain biking in the summer.
• Travelled to trade shows, conducted photo shoots & managed the product development process.

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Activities and Societies: Net Impact

Bachelor Of Design, Fashion & Technology

Sustainability Leadership: Innovation For Growth Course, Sustainability Studies

A 6-week intensive course that covered Innovation, Leadership, and Strategic frameworks to build strong sustainability initiatives..

Women In Leadership

Developed an understanding of historical and cultural constructs that have shaped the belief systems of women in the workplace. Explored.

Micro Credential, Introduction To Circular Economy

Shift Responsible Fashion Series, Sustainable Fashion

Monthly learning series put on by Fashion Takes Action.

Clo-3D And Browzwear Level 1, 3D Pattern Making

Draft basic style blocks and learn how to apply pattern and fit changes to create a full realized garment.

Sustainability Bootcamp, Sustainability

1 Day intensive bootcamp

Leadership In The Outdoor Industry

Activities and Societies: Capstone Project, Leadership Retreats, Online modules, Mentorship. The Future Leadership Academy is a six-month.

Level Ii Certified, Product Management

Practical, actionable training for product management.

Associate Certificate In Marketing

Associate Certificate in Marketing with a focus in Entrepreneurial Management.

Diploma, Fashion Design & Technology

Received award for "Most Creative Clothing line" upon graduation.