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Apparel Designer & Product Developer (Creative, Technical & Packaging)

Engineering & Production

Shelby Mechanic Shirt

Designed all packaging and garment – not back graphic – for Shelby America.

Eddie Bauer Workwear Beanie

Designed all packaging and beanie for Eddie Bauer Workwear brand

Fit Essential Sports Bra

Designed all packaging and sports bra for Fit Essentials brand

Yellowstone Jacket

Designed all packaging and jacket for Yellowstone

Nautica OTF Short

Designed all packaging and short for Nautica OTF brand

Sherpa Lined Trucker Jacket

Nautica OTF Fishing Shirt

Designed all packaging and fishing shirt for Nautica OTF brand

Nautica OTF Hoodie

Designed all packaging and gaiter styled hoodie for Nautica OTF brand

Rural King - Lincoln Outfitters Cowl Mock Neck

Designed all packaging and garment for Rural King's Lincoln Outfitters brand

Mack Trucks WOmen's Button Front Shirt

Designed all packaging and women's garment for Mack Trucks brand

As an innovative global PD&amp;D Executive with extensive experience in both large corporations and start-ups, I am adept at developing and implementing comprehensive operational programs that drive organizational success. With my proven track record of strategic leadership, strong creative direction and trend analysis skills, I have developed concepts and brands from scratch, as well as reinvented and revitalized existing ones. Being an innovative leader, I excel at team building, driving brand development, storytelling, assortment architecture, and maintaining a consistent brand aesthetic. My customer-centric strategy, coupled with my extensive and successful leadership experience, vision, creativity, and business acumen, has consistently optimized profits while maintaining a competitive advantage. Having learned by doing, not viewing, I thrive on challenges and am driven to deliver exceptional results – where every detail matters! Key Highlights Expertise with:- Men’s, Women’s, Kid's, Baby, and Pet product.- Specialty, Department Store, Discount, Wholesale, DTC, and Startup companies. Creative design leader with strong trend analysis, forecasting, product vision skills, color and practical problem-solving skills. Establish process expectations, time and action calendars, and responsibilities with global partners. Lead design concepts from inception to execution, ensuring brands tell strong, relevant stories and prioritize the customer. Strategic planning in developing brand strategy, company DNA, brand architecture, and new business opportunities. Extensive experience on global scale building, streamlining processes, managing calendars, P&amp;L accountability, optimizing operations and enhancing efficiency.

• Authored the conspiratorial high-concept political thriller, "The Inconceivable Plan"
• Carlos Santana – designed “Universal Tone” identity and soft-goods.
• Louis Rafael – created “Lou’s Originals” name and all branding.
• Full Turn Direct – designed Spring 2014 line sold to over 1,500 retail shops worldwide & the Augusta National Golf Course tops.
• Cut Throat Golf – created corporate brand identity, designed 2013 line and am designing their 2014 line.
• Wolfgang’s Vault  - proposed and designed “Limited Release” branding and product line.
• Waghearted – launched company’s first product line that has been and continues to sell in Target, PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, etc.
• Simply SmartGirl, - designed brand identity and product line.
• The Justus Clothing Company – designed brand identity and product line.
• American Eagle Outfitters – designed product.
• Fila – designed product.

PD&D Consultant & Author

• Reinvented product categories/classifications for Men's, Women's, Boy & Girl product
• Unified apparel, accessories, branding, packaging, and technical design for brand coherence.
• Led effective management, development, and implementation of designs for licensor needs.
• Boosted outdoor wear with thermo-regulating, sun-blocking and technically designed outdoor apparel.
• Spearheaded pitches for Yellowstone, Eddie Bauer & Nautica's new product lines.
• Innovated apparel with the concept, design, & TD of a multi-purpose "safety" mask hoodie
• Designed all the packaging for Rural King (Lincoln Outfitters, Rural King Brand & Real Work) as well as Yellowstone, Eddie Bauer Workwear, Menards, Mack Truck, and many others
• Rebranded Nautica Angler to Nautica OTF
• Partnered with Oceana for Nautica OTF line to showcase its Eco-friendly fabrications

Director - Apparel Design & Product Development

• Executed licensor needs through effective design management, development, and implementation.
• Elevated the brand via innovative design of apparel, accessories, and technical packaging.
• Launched domestic nursing school scrubs/uniform programs to meet industry needs.
• Propelled mid-tier apparel manufacturing with strategic planning and execution.
• Effectively managed costs while preserving GM goals for financial stability.
• Spearheaded a successful product line of sustainable UAE government scrubs.
• Developed outdoor classifications such as auto, grill, boat, and patio covers.

Director Apparel Design & Product Development (Design, Tech, Branding, Merchandising & Packaging)

• Collaborated with merchandisers to efficiently determine costs while preserving GM goals.
• Supervised factories, achieving reduced lead times and enhanced quality control.
• Championed innovative technical and package design for premium apparel products.
• Guided the successful transition to a unified "Global" product strategy
• Conceptualized and developed products through PLM for global markets.

PD&D - Design/Technical Services

• Contributed to major retail partnerships including Walmart (USA, Mexico & Canada), Petco, Target, Ross Pets at Home and Pet Supplies Plus.
• Orchestrated design of apparel, accessories, branding, packaging, and technical aspects.
• Developed POS materials, corporate trade show collateral, and directed photo shoots.
• Crafted detailed T&A calendar, system flows, budgets and "How To" manuals.
• Supervised the management of design, packaging and branding departments.
• Enforced quality control measures in factories to reduce lead times.
• Negotiated with merchandisers to define costs and sustain GM goals.

PD&D Director - Design, Tech, Graphics, Branding, Merchandising & Packaging

• Hybrid Designer – Tech Design Juniors, Boy/Gir & Mens + Designer Vendor Apparel.
• “Most Improved IMU” awarded every year for reducing manufacturing expenditures by streamlining concept to production processes helping Mervyns achieve its EBITDA goals.
• Awarded “Highest Placement over Previous Year” for years; 2003, 2005 & 2007.
• Developed internal “Fast-Track” process for reducing lead times on new product launches.
• Streamlined concept to production – awarded “Most Improved IMU” all years.
•  Partnered with Merchandisers, Sales, Internal & External Buyers & Vendors to formulate line launch strategies, define costs, brainstorm additional revenue avenues, and maintain Gross Margin goals (GM).
•  Partner with sourcing agents and factories to develop products around the world.
• Design & develop creative product campaigns through:
	Merchandising, Branding, Graphics, Technical & Packaging.
• Worked daily w/factory representatives to meet calendar objectives & traveled to factories to
   oversee production
• Designed / Developed technical sketches, specs and managed all fittings.
• Conducted market research analysis for fit evaluation.
• Assisted in fabric development and testing.
• Negotiated costing and sourcing through domestic and international vendors.
• Managed assistants, sample-rooms and fittings.
• Created system flows from development through production. 
• Conducted factory visits to optimize relationship and train personnel.
• Held training seminar for factory representatives.
• Taught designers embellishment techniques.

Manager - Apparel & Technical Design

Find out detailed information about Roger Kulak, Apparel Designer & Product Developer (Creative, Technical & Packaging) in Overland Park, Kansas

Roger Kulak: Apparel Designer & Product Developer (Creative, Technical & Packaging) in Overland Park, Kansas

Roger Kulak

Columbia College

Fashion Institute of Technology