Resume

Katherine Dos Santos

Senior Level Design Professional

SUMMARY

Design leader with 25 years of experience in women’s product design and development. Expert in all aspects of design from initial concept to production. Passionate about textiles, color, print development, and the art of fashion, with an elevated sense of style. Highly creative and results oriented leader with a unique skill in revitalizing stagnant sales by delivering innovative product through the lens of a brand. Accomplished record of delivering consecutive sales growth. Proficient in managing, fostering, and retaining design teams of over 15 people. Possess unique combination of strong business acumen with creativity. Adept in fostering cross functional partnerships. Possess strong negotiating skills and an exceptional work ethic.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Highly creative and analytical

• Excellent managerial skills

• Expert in brand management

• Expertise in trend forecasting and concept creation

• Superb technical knowledge of garment construction and manufacturing

• Knowledgeable of all product categories in apparel & accessories

• Extensive travel to overseas mills and factories in Italy & Asia

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Helmed the company's largest, most profitable billion dollar lifestyle brand

• Delivered increased sales post pandemic on less inventory

• Created and developed brand extensions (leisurewear and denim) and branch relaunch

• Created departmental procedures that became a model for the company to follow

• Accomplished highest performing achievement rates for big buy styles

• Developed and implemented a fast fashion design model

• Launched a new contemporary brand

EXPERIENCE

EARTHBOUND, Walmart, Time and Tru & Terra & Sky, New York, NY

Vice President of Design, October 2020- Present

•   Head of design for women’s private brands at Walmart, Time and Tru, and plus size private brand, Terra & Sky

• Oversee a team of over 25 team members including design, raw materials/pre-development, & CAD/color teams

•   Responsible for the design and execution of lifestyle women’s brand including apparel and accessories

•   Set the creative vision for the brands including concept, prints & pattern, trend, & raw materials

•   Manage design team’s adherence to calendar deadlines, budget, target cost, and line plan needs

•  Create processes and best practices for all categories of business

• Conduct seasonal presentations to senior/executive leadership + regularly to cross functional teams

•  Strategize and lead design teams to meet/exceed departmental financial goals

• Work with supply chain to meet quality and pricing deliverable

RDG GLOBAL, New York, NY

Senior Vice President of Contemporary, October 2018- 2020

• Launched a new contemporary brand

• Created the brand DNA and identified the white space in retail stores

• Conceptualized the line, independently sourced all materials, fit and executed all garments

• Presented the collection to retailers and showrooms

• Traveled extensively to factories in China to execute the product line

• Worked with Turkish mills and manufacturers

• Simultaneously managed the updated missy private label accounts

• Head of special projects including influencer collaborations & special projects for the company

• Managed team of technical designers and designers

XCEL BRANDS, Isaac Mizrahi , New York, NY

Senior Vice President of Design/Creative Director, January, 2016- October, 2018                                                                                                                                            Vice President of Design/Creative Director, Women's, January, 2014- January, 2016
Design Director, Women's, December, 2010 - January 2014

• Oversaw the Isaac Mizrahi womenswear brand across all channels of distribution including department stores (IMNYC), television network (Isaac Mizrahi Live), and licensed products such as home goods, swim, and denim, as well as international markets in Canada and Europe

• Reported directly to company President/Chief Operating Officer

• Managed large cross functional design teams for two divisions, and two brand extensions (mainline, denim and

  leisurewear collections)

• Conducted monthly design presentations to convey the vision of the brand and seasonal strategy to buyers, retailers,

  sourcing, marketing, and design teams

• Created concepts, approved all print & pattern, color palettes, designs, fabrics, and yarns, for monthly deliveries

  consisting of around 50- 100 styles

• Conducted competitive research to identify areas of opportunity to bring to the business

• Identified and expanded on high performing categories by offering new version of top performing styles

• Conducted design research to deliver creative ways of interpreting unique ideas such as print engineering, fabric

  manipulation techniques, and on trend style attributes

• Managed departmental budget and adoption ratio for two divisions; ensured that calendar deadlines were met

• Liaised with merchandising team to ensure proper assortment of collection and partner with sourcing to deliver high

  quality product at appropriate prices

• Traveled to trade shows for yarn/fabric R&D and factory visits; traveled overseas for creative concept/shopping research

• Continuously achieved unparalleled sales growth by delivering innovative designs with great value and through the brand DNA

LIZ CLAIBORNE INC/ IM READY MADE LLC, New York, NY

Senior Knitwear Designer, Women's September, 2008 – December, 2010

• Designed and developed the knitwear collection including cut & sew and sweaters for Liz Claiborne department

  stores under the creative direction of Isaac Mizrahi from initial concept through production

• Forecasted trends, established seasonal design direction & conducted design presentation

• Managed assistant and associate designers; Traveled to Italy for yarn research

• Prepared hand and illustrator sketches, technical design specs and detailed drawings; conducted fittings

NATION DESIGN, New York, NY
Sweater Designer July, 2006 -September, 2008

• Designed sweaters for the company's branded line and private label collections

• Forecasted trends and established the seasonal design direction for the sweater division

• Prepared design presentation to accounts and in house sales team

• Communicated daily with overseas offices on product development and production; traveled to China for factory visits;

  prepared all technical packages and fit all salesmen samples

MAGASCHONI, New York, NY
Knitwear Designer July, 2005- July, 2006

• Designed and fit seasonal sweater collections for a wholesale model company

• Forecasted trends, selected Asian and Italian yarns, and developed trims per season; communicated daily with

  production offices and yarn agents; traveled to Italy and China for yarn research and factory visits

ADRIENNE VITTADINI, New York, NY & Enfield, CT

Knitwear Designer May, 2003 – August, 2004
Associate Knitwear Designer May, 2002 – May 2003

• Responsible for all sweater and cut & sew knit designs for brand with own freestanding retail stores; selected

  yarn/fabric/trim; conducted fittings; approved lab dips/bulk production; managed assistant designer

• Traveled to Italy for yarn research and factory visits; worked with overseas offices in Italy and China on product

  development/production; collaborated with CAD team on stitch and pattern development

ANN TAYLOR, New York, NY

Associate Sweater Designer January, 2000- May, 2002

Assistant Sweater Designer July, 1997- January, 2000

• Conducted trend/yarn research and created inspiration/design/fabric boards

• Prepared technical sketches, created tech packs, & generated line sheets

• Traveled to Pitti Filati and Hong Kong for research & development, and factory visits

• Created stitch & novelty layouts; attended fittings; managed interns and assistant designer

• Participated in designing key items and novelty portion of the line including embroideries, intarsia, hand knits, etc.

EDUCATION
The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, August, 1993- May, 1997

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, magna cum laude

Polimoda - Instituto Internazionale della Moda, Florence, Italy, August, 1994 – May, 1996 Two years overseas study, Knitwear and Art specialization

SKILLS

• Expertise in product design and development across all apparel categories in both knits and wovens

• Strong fabric and yarn technical knowledge, including sweater expertise

• Extensive experience in managing brands from initial concept through production

• Working knowledge of Photoshop & Illustrator

• Fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian

  VOLUNTEER WORK

  Teach For America, New York, NY 2004-2005

• Took a sabbatical to work on a social justice cause; worked as a teacher in an inner city public school to help bridge the gap in education

• Infused art into my teaching style to create engaging process and content