Creative design director with expertise across men’s and women’s lifestyle apparel, specializing in sweaters and knitwear. Skilled at leading teams, defining seasonal vision, and delivering modern, brand-right product that balances creativity, craft, and commercial success.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Creative Leadership & Direction • Menswear & Knitwear Expertise • Trend, Color & Fabric Strategy • Assortment Architecture & Line Building • Brand DNA Translation • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Team Development & Mentorship • Global Vendor Partnerships • Lifestyle Product Storytelling • Elevated, Modern Design Execution

Technical Skills: PLM • Adobe Creative Suite • InDesign • Excel

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 Catalyst Brands (Formerly SPARC GROUP), New York,                                                                                                              

 2022-Present

Design Director, Men’s and Women’s Fashion, Sweaters, Outerwear and Cold Weather Accessories Lifestyle brands (Aeropostale, Lucky, Nautica)

Lead design direction and product strategy for men’s and women’s categories across lifestyle brands including Lucky Brand, Nautica, and Aeropostale. Oversee all aspects of concept-to-market execution with a focus on sweaters, outerwear, and cold weather accessories. Partner with cross-functional leaders in merchandising, production, and sourcing to drive category growth, brand consistency, and design innovation.

Key Achievements:

  • Grew Lucky Brand’s men’s and women’s business by 33%, delivering best-selling, high-volume sweaters and outerwear through modernized fits, refined yarns, and cohesive color stories.

  • Revitalized the men’s Aeropostale business by repositioning the assortment toward trend-relevant, fashion-forward product and exiting legacy programs.

  • Implemented cross-brand design and sourcing strategies that leveraged shared resources, reduced costs, and improved design efficiency across all lifestyle brands.

  • Introduced fast fashion development channels to accelerate speed-to-market and strengthen the newness pipeline for Lucky Brand and Aeropostale.

AEROPOSTALE AND LUCKY BRAND, New York,                                                                                                                     

2019-Present

 Senior Design Manager, Men’s and Women’s Sweaters, Outerwear and Cold Weather Accessories

Directed design and development for sweaters, outerwear, and cold weather accessories across two distinct lifestyle brands — Aeropostale and Lucky Brand. Balanced creative vision, margin goals, and brand identity across multiple price tiers and seasonal calendars. Partnered closely with merchandising, sourcing, and production to build cohesive assortments that reflected each brand’s DNA while driving growth and profitability.

Key Achievements:

  • Grew the Aeropostale sweater business by developing a modern assortment architecture that increased AUR by 15% and optimized best-selling core styles.

  • Led multiple categories across two lifestyle brands, managing differentiated design direction, pricing, and development timelines.

  • Strengthened Lucky Brand’s women’s and men’s outerwear through elevated material selection, refined fits, and lifestyle-focused design storytelling.

COBALT KNITWEAR DIVISION OF LF AMERICAS, New York, NY                                                                                            

2018–2019

Senior Design Manager, Knits and Sweaters (CONSULTANT)

Brought on to strengthen knitwear and sweater design direction across multiple private label and branded programs. Defined seasonal vision for color, yarn, and fabrication, ensuring cohesive design stories across women’s, juniors, kids, and men’s categories. Partnered with merchandising and sourcing to align creative concepts with business strategy and production goals.

Key Achievements:

·       Opened new business channels across Kids, Juniors, and Women’s divisions, securing a 700,000-unit order for Downtime Fall/Holiday 2019.

·       Drove trend forecasting, palette development, and seasonal pitch presentations that influenced retailer buy-in and product adoption.

·       Led design execution across multiple lifestyle categories, ensuring brand-right design, fit, and material alignment.

·       150 tech packs for development across Women’s, Junior’s, Kid’s and Men’s categories.

 18 ROCKS LLC DIVISION OF MELWOOD PARTNERS, Melville, NY                                                                                        

2016 - 2018

Senior Manager of Design, Women’s and Junior’s

Directed design and product development from concept through execution for multiple private label retail accounts including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, TJ Maxx, Ross, and Burlington, as well as proprietary and licensed brands. Oversaw fit, brand aesthetics, and seasonal direction across multiple categories including cut & sew, seamless knits, wovens, and activewear. Managed departmental budget and P&L while leading a six-person design team and collaborating with global vendors to deliver design innovation and margin goals.

Key Achievements:

  • Doubled business through successful seasonal licensed collections including Gloria Vanderbilt, HFX, and Bebe Dresses.

  • Expanded private label programs by increasing adoption rates from 6 to 13 seasonal buys through consistent delivery of new, brand-right design.

  • Set trend, color, and fabric direction each season to ensure product differentiation and retail success across a diverse client portfolio.

  • Streamlined seasonal design and development timelines, improving speed-to-market and increasing margin performance.

 BANANA REPUBLIC, New York, NY                                                                                                                                                                  

2013 -2016

Senior Manager of Design, Women’s Sweaters, Cold Weather Accessories & Hosiery

Led design direction and seasonal product strategy for women’s sweaters, cold weather accessories, and hosiery across North American, European, and Japanese markets. Created brand-right, customer-focused collections that balanced modern design, material integrity, and commercial success. Oversaw all development for up to 300 seasonal styles and managed a three-person design team, ensuring flawless execution against the seasonal TIA calendar.

Key Achievements:

  • Partnered cross-functionally with merchandising, technical design, and production to deliver cohesive collections reflecting Banana Republic’s global brand vision.

  • Designed best-selling styles that reduced yarn liability by 40% while driving exceptional weekly sell-through performance.

  • Created key sweaters that delivered 122% of sales projections, strengthening the brand’s positioning in the women’s lifestyle category.

 REGATTA DIVISION OF LI & FUNG, New York, NY                                                                                                                               

2011 – 2013

Senior Designer Women’s Knitwear (Sweaters & Knits)

Directed design and seasonal strategy for proprietary and licensed brands including Vena Cava, Viva Vena, Keds x Opening Ceremony, French Connection, Daisy Fuentes for Kohl’s, Sofia Vergara for Kmart, Miss Tina for Walmart, and Pearl by Marchesa for JCPenney. Defined trend direction, color palettes, yarn, and fabric development to ensure brand-right execution and alignment with each label’s identity. Partnered with merchants, production, and sourcing to create cohesive, high-quality knitwear assortments that delivered design integrity and commercial appeal.

Key Achievements

  • Collaborated with celebrity and designer partners including Sofia Vergara, Tina Knowles, and Daisy Fuentes to translate brand voice into limited-edition collections that resonated with national retailers.

  • Designed the Keds x Opening Ceremony collaboration that successfully re-energized the heritage brand and attracted new consumers.

  • Introduced and implemented PLM systems to streamline the design-to-production workflow, increasing efficiency and transparency across cross-functional teams.

RALSEY GROUP DIVISION OF LI & FUNG, New York, NY                                                                         

2010 – 2011

Senior Designer Women’s & Juniors (Sweaters & Knits)

Created on-brand, trend-relevant knitwear and sweaters for major retailers including Target, Kmart, Forever 21, New York & Company, Loft, Chico’s, The Limited, Macy’s, and Coldwater Creek. Defined seasonal color, yarn, and fabric direction and translated market insights into cohesive, commercial product. Partnered with overseas factories and domestic teams to deliver design innovation, speed-to-market, and consistent quality across all accounts.

Key Achievements:

  • Launched the Target GO International Designer Collaboration Collection for Missoni, a sellout success that elevated Target’s design credibility and consumer excitement.

  • Developed and managed high-volume seasonal assortments—up to 100 new sweater and knit styles per month—while maintaining design integrity and brand-right execution.

  • Presented seasonal trend and concept direction to internal teams and retail partners, influencing adoption and buy strategies.

 NANETTE LEPORE, New York, NY                                                                                                                                                                    

 2004 – 2010

Designer Women’s Sweaters and Cut & Sew Knits,

2006-2010

Designed and developed contemporary sweater collections for runway and ready-to-wear, blending artisanal craftsmanship with commercial appeal. Partnered with sales and merchandising to ensure collections reflected the brand’s feminine, expressive aesthetic while meeting market and margin goals. Oversaw sourcing of yarns and fabrics, conducted fittings, and directed development from concept through production.

Key Achievements:

  • Created a runway-featured sweater collection recognized in Vogue Knitting (2008) as one of the “must-have” sweaters of the season.

  • Strengthened collaboration between design, production, and merchandising teams, ensuring seamless translation from runway to retail.

  • Supported global development and trade show presentations, representing the brand’s creative vision in international markets.

Assistant Designer and Sample Room Manager,

2004-2006

Managed the New York sample room and coordinated all development across local factories. Oversaw fittings, pattern work, and prototype creation for seasonal collections and fashion week presentations.

Key Achievements:

  • Directed sample production across seven domestic factories, ensuring alignment with design intent and quality standards.

  • Assisted in translating runway collections into ready-to-wear lines, contributing to the brand’s strong commercial performance.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Knitwear Specialization, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, 2004

Knitwear Certificate in Fashion Design and Knitwear, Nottingham Trent, Nottingham, UK, 2