Experience: Collaborating with design teams to launch and revitalize men’s & women’s collections, with focus on product design, development, fit, and production.
My Interests Include:
Designing Sweaters – fully fashioned / cut & sew
Circular Knits – cut & sewn t-shirt and fleece programs
Specialty wovens – fly fishing market; sun protection
Fabric Developments – sourcing wovens, including quick-dry, stretch, lightweight, plaids, flannels & blends, as well as circular knits: French terry, fleece, light jerseys, fine gauge knits & yarns, including performance fabrics, for product development.
Special Emphasis On: sourcing blended yarns/threads, washing for perfect handfeel, fabric finishes for technical requirements, designing motifs for intarsia sweaters, and supporting fit, construction, and product quality.
Factory Relationships: Daily WeChat/WhatsApp calls & emails with factories/agents throughout the design process. Overseeing manufacturing in countries like India, Bangladesh, Peru, Italy, China, Taiwan, USA & Canada, with sample and production follow-up.
Presentations: Trend Forecasting using websites like WGSN, Style Sight and Fashion Snoops. Trips to L.A and NYC for market research. Developing color palettes referencing Coloro and Pantone, analyzing sales from the previous season, sketching collections in Adobe Illustrator, creating images in Adobe Firefly, and studying emerging product direction.
Development: Create sample specs, measure first samples, conduct fit meetings, maintain sample tracking charts, work out preliminary pricing and timelines with factories, and communicate fit and construction changes.
Production: Comment on PP samples, grade specs, inspect TOP’s, and approve goods to exit factory. Maintain production charts and shipping manuals, including care/content labels, folding instructions, testing requirements, and product quality standards. Previous experience with Gerber to create pattern & grade rules.
Collections:
Yates & Co. 2024 - present: Design & development for the collection Lyla & Luxe, specializing in knitwear, sweaters, and accessories, from initial concepts to final production and factory relationships.
OCADu, 2021-2024: Master of Design, Strategic Foresight and Innovation
A systems story about textiles
A Human Factors story about refugee resettlement
A future’s story about esports, Futures Design Award, 2023 (APF)
A Human Factors Story about micro business & strategy
Syd Textiles 2016 - 2021: Textile design & development for womenswear brands: Joseph Ribkoff, Frank Lyman and Simpli., with focus on product development and fabric support.
Dolly Varden Outdoor Clothing Inc. 2013 – 2014: Creative Director in active/outdoor clothing specific to fly fishing market - men’s & women’s, with product design and development focus.
Sunson, 2013: Technical design - specializing in woven shirts and underwear and presentations for customers like Harry Rosen
Roots Canada Ltd. 2011 – 2013: Knitwear designer for men’s and women’s athletic and leisurewear, including sourcing, sketching, proto sample development, fittings, and production oversight.
PYA Importer Ltd. 2007 – 2011: Sweater & Knitwear design & development
Toscano, Nove, PYA Black Label, Linea Rosso, Corpus
Private Label accounts: Harry Rosen, Saks 5th Avenue, Nordstrom, Dillards, Neiman Marcus, Big & Tall, by corpus, Line Knitwear, Mara Hoffman, Earnest Sewn and Jaiden for TNT.
BinBin, 2006: Freelance, sweater consulting
Dorothea Knitting Mills, 2003 – 2006: Sweater Designer
Parkhurst, Cotton Country, Steven B
Toronto Metropolitan University, 1999 – 2003: Bachelor of Applied Arts, Fashion
Work placements included: Ryerson School of Fashion, Technician's office, 2003; The Custom Factory, 2002; Charlotte McKeough Co., 2000.
My passions include: Hiking with my family in Algonquin Park, skiing in the Adirondack Mountains, and canoeing in Ontario lakes