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Product development expert with a passion for product and sourcing with 13+ years of experience at a wide range of companies from fast paced startups to large sized manufacturing corporations. Proven ability to achieve brand and business goals by understanding customer and sales data, while communicating an effective message across all channels. Experienced in leading product management from conception through to production while collaborating with internal teams, vendors, and licensees seamlessly. Described by past leadership as motivated, adaptable, innovative and recognized for being a collaborative leader.

• Managed all design and development stages for all product categories including watches, eyewear, jewelry, and accessories.
• Re-designed the sample and archival processes from sample requests to organization and reduced sampling spend by 44% annually.
• Created Go To Market and Seasonal product calendars from design through site launch
• Collaborated daily with marketing and site teams to ensure seamless handoffs and on time
delivery of samples, photo shoot assets, and marketing materials.
• Mastered Backbone PLM - sku creation and management, item views, linesheets, and CTAs

Product Development Manager

• Implement product launches for 600-700 skus per season and merchandising strategies for DIFF Eyewear, DIME
Optics, and Compliments, including eyewear, accessories, skincare across 3 brands.
• Curate seasonal collections that are on trend, within budget and on target for the customer; optimize assortment
mix, identify sales and margin opportunities and risks, and develop strategies by product category and vendor
• Successfully developed a strategy and execution plan to launch prescription eyewear in November 2018
• Ensure seamless launch of all licensing collaborations with top tier licenses and celebrities including Disney,
Lucasfilm, Warner Brothers, H.E.R., Lauren London – key liaison between factory and licensor
• Responsible for cost negotiations of all products to ensure IMU and margin goals are met – increased margin by
24% across all categories (sunglass, blue light, prescription, and accessories)
• Review OTB to evaluate inventory position and adjust receipts. Provide strategic recommendations to maximize
sales and margin, optimize inventory, and mitigate risk
• Oversee inventory management – successfully reduced inventory levels from 52 weeks to 12-4 weeks on hand
• Constructively communicate with 3PL to resolve issues affecting on time launch and receipt of merchandise

• Established product development team to ensure all costing, sampling, and licensing goals were achieved
• Built strong cross-functional partnerships with design, production, factories, and all overseas teams
• Created, modified and implemented vendor strategies to support ongoing development needs
• Quarterly factory visits – China, Philippines, Hong Kong, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Mexico
• Identified product opportunities and/or enhancement through market research, collaboration with internal
design and merchandising teams, and direct customer engagement
• Managed over 600+ skus at any given time (branded and private label) while ensuring on time approvals and
submits were passed to appropriate teams

MMG Costing Manager (Material Girl, American Rag, Bar III, Maison Jules, Thalia, HBC Material Girls, Zalora)

- Create BOMs to strategically negotiate costs and deliveries with overseas and domestic vendors for 6 brands to ensure company mark ups are aligned with financial targets 
- Manage retail pricing agreements with Macy’s and HBC buyers based on customer retails and current margin goals
- Drive cost efficiencies through strategic relations management between designers and production managers
- Implement a line sample development plan with 6 factories to create line samples to be shown to MMG at market (approximately 120 styles per development cycle) as company transitions to 100% overseas factory development
- Create a factory development calendar - from trend packs and initial concept/direction given by Macy’s, to confirmed artwork and color palettes, 1st prototype sample and costing deadlines, and final sample due dates
- Coordinate fabric development - linking designers to fabric vendors, and fabric vendors to factories, ensuring that the customer is presented with latest textile trends
- Sales lead/merchandiser for Zalora (tag-ons to Material Girl styles) - present current on-order Material Girl and Love Fire (private label) styles while validating costs and orders

Costing Manager

Find out detailed information about Michelle Lee,  in Los Angeles, CA

Michelle Lee: in Los Angeles, CA

Michelle Lee

FIDM