Heather Franco: Consulting Design Director & Fashion Brand Development Specialist in Corona Del Mar, CA

Actively leverage extensive fashion industry expertise and relationships to execute numerous brand and product launches end-to-end; including initial ideation stages, market research and positioning, calendar, branding, design, sourcing, vendor onboarding, grading, fit, sampling, production, budget, operations, compliance, fulfillment and e-commerce Shape and cultivate brands through thoughtful design and art direction, establishing a clear brand voice/handwriting, elevated aesthetic, and cohesive storytelling across all product, media and sales channels Actively collaborate with founders and their teams to bring their brands to life by connecting them to the highest quality resources, establishing season and product lifecycle, hiring/training staff and streamlining both process and production Expertise in back end integration for e-commerce specializing in Shopify, ERP and fulfillment Entrepreneurial minded creative who is able to work independently on multiple projects simultaneously, under tight time constraints, in a virtual environment. Art direction for photoshoots including mood, styling, prep, model selection and editing for seasonal product stories and ongoing, multi-season campaigns

Founder and Owner of LVHR High touch on all aspects of the brand including design, sourcing and production Elevated lounge, swim, ready-to-wear resort and lingerie essentials Small batch wardrobe staples made in Los Angeles partnering with only ethical factories and dye houses. All brand decisions are made with a dedication to sustainability through thoughtful material choices (fabric, packaging, etc) Designed to minimize waste Available at Revolve, Olivela, Verishop, select boutiques and direct to consumer

Managed Apparel and Production Departments (14 direct reports and 6 interns per year) and supervised Operations, Sales and Budget First Design Director hired to take all product, existing and new, through to production Responsible for both establishing and staffing the entire Apparel Department Positioned the brand for the Contemporary Designer Women's and Kid's Market - specializing in RTW inspired Loungewear, Sleepwear, Lingerie, Wovens, Knits, Sweaters and Swim. Pitched the collection at prestigious international and domestic trade shows - Salon International de la Lingerie, Curve, and Active Collective. Lead the team through concept, color, design, grading, sampling, fit, costing, sourcing and production including the development of custom prints and trims Established brand vendor matrix (including mills/factories from South America, Asia, and NYC), sourcing and purchase order process Point person for showrooms, sales team, internal personnel, mills, factories and vendors on a day to day basis Designed, merchandised and styled the collection for seasonal look books, line sheets and photoshoots.

Launched CIVERNÉ, a high end women’s ready to wear line designed for the luxury designer Asian market Shown at Shanghai Fashion Week Involved in every detail of design and development from start to finish for each season including construction, fit, sourcing and vendor relations Synthesized trend, color and market research into brand right and actionable aesthetic direction Managed the brand’s look book and all photoshoots for the launch Set up and fully integrated all e-commerce channels Consulted on corporate identity, merchandising, branding and packaging Traveled regularly for production, samples and sourcing

Select clients: Gap, Levis, Old Navy (Ready To Wear & Girls), Kohl’s, Gymboree, Choreo Active, Pacha Spain & Biatta

Executed a highly successful full brand revamp and relaunch positioned for the contemporary ready-to-wear market Collection was sold at Barney’s, Neiman Marcus, various high end boutiques and D2C Pitched the collection along with the company owner to buyers at Barney’s and other well-known luxury retailers Managed vendor relations and production both domestic and international (Asia, Peru, Uruguay) including all sourcing of fabrics, leather, trims and specialty services Researched and translated global seasonal trends in apparel, color, styling, techniques, and materials to insure brand relevancy across target demographic Responsible for the design of all SKUs - tech packs, spec measurements, construction, print selection and creation, collaboration with the pattern maker, fit sessions and full production lifecycle Designed corporate identity, brand collateral, packaging and specialty marketing materials used at charity events for both Anonymity and Chaiken & Capone Coordinated all social media channels and planned a range of high end luxury events to promote the brand

1st designer hired on what would eventually become a 5 person team driving company growth from $1M to $20M in revenue in the 1st year Managed all freelance designers (including interviewing, hiring and onboarding) Spearheaded trend, market and product research while managing multiple projects under tight deadlines Designed dog and cat lifestyle products and accessories as well as children's apparel Developed all original body styles, patterns and products giving the brand a truly unique position in the crowded pet market Created corporate identity, boutique branding, company collateral, packaging and sales presentations for clients such as Walmart, Petco and Sam’s Club. Maintained direct communication with merchants and vendors for trends, concepts and product development