Alinne Fernandes: Senior Visual Merchandiser in San Clemente, CA

Working closely with Footwear & Apparel Buyers, Creative and Environmental design teams to create visually compelling and on brand store displays, windows, product assortment and collection launches. Leading Visual Merchandiser team in organization, efficiency, morale and inspiration. Working closely with Senior Visual Manager and Director to delegate projects and aid in the Visual aspect of Global Marketing launches.

Main point of contact to agency founder in overseeing individual client project process including ideation,creative strategy, development, project calenders, approval and production. In communication with in house / external creative and production cross functional teams and clients to manage branded projects.

-Partnered with owners, brand managers, e-commerce and inventory allocations teams to convey a consistently unified brand identity post a website relaunch in 2015. -Developed an in-store experience that unified all revenue channels, engaging customers and creating a more cohesive brand culture and visual identity that came full circle on per-existing and new innovative platforms. -Identified growth opportunities in company culture, product development, brand experience/marketing and created solutions via problem identification, analytics, project planning and execution. Major Initiatives Executed: Visual Branding: Spearheaded strategic branded retail experience, facilitated innovative initiatives and expansion into new markets via collaborative efforts with artisans - expanding revenue streams, building community and making products / brand culture more accessible to the everyday crafter and curious creative. Events: Branded retreats, books signings, workshops, seasonal tutorials and community efforts. Trade Shows: Planning, budgeting, and executing booth design, inventory allocations, merchandising, staffing, hosting, sales, and reports. Collaborations: Worked as a liaison between artisans and cross functioning teams to design the content and packaging of exclusive DIY kits, sometimes with coordinating classes or workshops. Established relationships and exclusive product with Maryanne Moodie, Twiggs Bindery, and Rose Pearlman.

Responsible for creating unique, innovative + inspirational customer experience encompassing the Free People lifestyle and brand image. Worked closely with home office and District Managers as the lead store to create and communicate merchandising ideation, display inspiration, planning big buy and seasonal floor sets, and overall mannequin and merchandising guidelines company-wide.

Able to successfully interpret seasonal visual communication into a dynamic environments that inspire + delight customers. Managed seasonal conceptual development + construction of displays, fixtures and retail narratives, managed calender time lines, and budgets therein. Partnered with operations manager on quarterly planning, budgets, and man-power decisions. Over sought performance evaluations, development and training of associates under direction of District Managers.

Assisted in upholding the overall aesthetic of store, product merchandising, execution of seasonal conceptual direction, inspiration research, store floor planning, and sourcing + creation of handmade in-store and window displays.

Working one-on-one with the designer in creating spec sheets, sketches, pattern making, communicating with factories overseas, receiving / correcting / shipping prototypes and samples to respective showrooms, line sheet design, sourcing trim, and hand dyeing sample materials for dye houses and factories.

Directed fittings and pattern making, implemented production infrastructure for small-batch designer raw selvedge denim, assisted in initial conceptualization for branding and initial product assortment edit for successful launch.