CV

My baby for 14 years which ran alongside my Amsterdam business while I lived overseas for five years.

My own business with a focus on consulting, embroidery design and print design employing staff to oversee ordering, shipping, billing, manage client liaison and make samples.
Agents in London, New York, Sydney and Melbourne.
New Zealand clients include Juliette Hogan, Storm, Verge, Farmers.
Worked closely with top Australian brands, including Country Road, Veronika Maine, Scanlan Theodore and Witchery amongst others.
Northern Hemisphere clients include Calvin Klein, Elie Tahari, Ports 1961, Pringle.
Offered a private collection by both German print giant KBC and upmarket Italian Print House Neoseta, both of whom exhibit at Premiere Vision. I chose the smaller family run business based in Como. Within one year my prints were in the collections of Armani, Paul and Jo, Max Mara, Escada, Hugo Boss, Theory, Cacharel and more.

My business while I was based in Amsterdam.

Print Design

Exclusively appointed to create print collections for Australian label Alannah Hill, inspired by catwalk trends and tailored to their target market, which included vintage interpretations.
Designed exclusively worldwide for Italian company Neoseta exhibiting at Premiere Vision in Paris. Clients included Armani, Max Mara, Escada, Hugo Boss, Paul & Jo, Theory et al.
Designed for a Korean print supplier selling heavily into UK and Australian market.
Collaborated with Serato, a world leader in DJ software, to create designs for VJs to use at gigs.

Embroidery Design

Each season I designed a top-end embroidery collection, which was exhibited at Premiere Vision in Paris, for respected Indian Company, Ventures. Clients included Dries Van Noten, Anne Demeulemeester, Saint Laurent, Osman, Mary Katrantzou, Erdem et al.
Fully responsible for the inspiration, direction, and end designs for these collections.
Sourced quality components for these collections from top Europe and Asian mills.

Trend Service and Sourcing

Commissioned to supply Alannah Hill with a seasonal colour, trend, textile and print service.
Sourced directional brand appropriate textiles at the trade fairs Premiere Vision and Texworld in Paris and vintage embroidery samples from various European markets.
Produced a printed trend service tailored to the Client including: colour palette with pantone references, design and colour stories, vintage interpretations, garment styling, silhouettes, fabrications and embroideries.

Part of my work stream in the formative years of my design business Hybrid.

Sourced and purchased from overseas mills through local agents, and partners in HK, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
Representative at textile trade fairs Premiere Vision and Texworld, seeking new and existing suppliers products.
Responsible for producing directional seasonal colour palettes and stories.
Assisted in the colouration, lab dipping and approvals of all wovens and knits.
Developed new systems, and templates to improve planning and productivity, co-ordination of fabrics and workflow.
Assisted in design and production of directional seasonal promotional booklets for clients.
Trained Head Design assistant, hired Design Room and Sample Making staff.
Developed variations and new colour ways of machine embroideries with Taiwan.
Visited Paris markets to source vintage textile samples to develop into hand embroideries, trims and prints.
Introduced and represented several European mills into the Australasian market.

Where I honed my design and sourcing skills.

Selecting and purchasing from overseas mills through local agents, and trips to Europe and Asia to visit existing mills and textile trade fairs.
Produced directional seasonal colour palettes and stories.
Joint responsibility with the Creative Director for the selection of all product.
Responsibility for the colouration, lab dipping and approvals of all wovens and knits, and colouration of all yarn dyes, embroideries and prints which was ultimately 300+ items a season.
Assisted in initiative to break into the Australian market, and was jointly responsible for producing a wholesale collection that appealed to a different end consumer. Sales doubled within 4 years.
Ordered and liaised with mills to ensure all articles were available to sample by release date.
Developed new systems, work sheets and templates to improve planning and productivity, co-ordination of fabrics, workflow for costing, sample making and buying.
Managed the design room, the staff and the workflow.
Managed the sample making department, all planning of work, staff, quality control and fabric testing.
Responsible for appearance of all samples and mood boards for client presentations.

Where I cut my teeth, first as a sales rep, then later in product development.

Doubled turnover in 2 years with local field work, promoted to national accounts, then to Product Development.
Selected and purchased from overseas mills through local agents and trips to Asia.
Solo retail buying trips to the US and Europe looking for trends suitable for the Australasian market.
Responsible for colouration and co-ordination of textiles into a cohesive directional wholesale collection each season.
Assisting Head Office in Australia with colouration and sample selection.
Developed new systems to improve planning and productivity, co-ordination of fabrics, workflow for costing, sample making and buying.
Assisted in arranging lab dips, test weaves and approvals.
Responsible for appearance of all samples and mood boards for client presentations.