Creative Director / Founder

Jèßup Saïnt Jâmes

Maison Phönix-Corvus, LLC
Tampa, Florida

Aug 2022 – Present

• Conducted comprehensive trend analysis and research on upcoming market trends, focusing on product styles, colors, textures, and aesthetics.

• Generated mood boards and curated color and material palettes to harmonize with seasonal direction and storytelling.

• Implemented and designed an efficient archive system covering styles, patterns, trims, materials, sketches, and artwork libraries.

• Crafted and designed a digital database using Filemaker Pro for seamless access to information at any time.

• Utilized Adobe Illustrator software to draft digital patterns for handbags, boxes, and clothing apparel pieces.

• Designed in-house branding ephemera, including testing cards, product surveys, recipe cards, and more.

• Handcrafted leather goods such as handbags, jewelry boxes, belts, and lunchboxes using traditional leather craft cutting, sewing, and finishing techniques.

• Established brand identity by creating the JSJ brand guide, product packaging, and shipping ephemera.

• Crafted home fragrance products such as candles, molded waxes, and wax powders using artisanal hand techniques.

• Setup and maintained ecommerce sites through Etsy, Shopify, and other social media venues.

• Researched and optimized product marketing through the utilization of current SEO trends, market advertisements, and product photography.

• Directed and styled product lifestyle and commerce photoshoots to ensure a visually appealing and on-brand product presentation.

• Evaluated initial and final costs of all JSJ product categories, executing revisions in designs, formulas, processes, and packaging to achieve substantial cost reductions.

• Translated brand aesthetic and identity through thoughtful approaches in design, photography, product manufacturing, and merchandise planning, emphasizing the importance of establishing a connection between the product and the consumer.

Designer / Creative Director

Dress the population

Frank and Adam Apparel, LLC
Tampa, Florida

Dec 2020 – Aug 2022

• Conducted trend analysis and research on silhouette, color, texture, and aesthetic for upcoming market trends.

• Designed a diverse range of dresses, jumpsuits, tops, and bottoms for monthly deliverables for both knit and woven categories, aligning with seasonal SKU metrics.

• Illustrated design concepts and flats, employing both hand illustration and digital CAD techniques.

• Conceptualized and developed a quality bandage program of bodycon dresses, incorporating classic bold silhouettes and vibrant color palettes.

• Conducted live fit model garment sessions, providing detailed feedback on design first samples, enhancing product development strategies.

• Published design tech packs and led the initial sampling phase, streamlining manufacturing processes and reducing wastage.

• Managed complete WFX PLM system and style catalog, implementing processes for organization and consistency.

• Presented seasonal collections at market sales meetings, showcasing a keen understanding of buying retail commerce.

• Directed and styled both apparel lifestyle and commerce photoshoots, ensuring pleasant and on-brand product presentation.

• Retouched and formatted product photography for commerce and editorial applications.

• Created and generated seasonal lookbooks and sales materials, demonstrating excellent presentation skills to captivate retail buyers.

• Engineered fabric print and yarn layouts, implementing innovative strategies for maximum fabric efficiency, optimizing production processes.

• Developed distinctive fabric prints and intricate sequin embroidery patterns, contributing to unique and appealing apparel designs.

• Approved bulk production samples, textiles, and trims across all styles, ensuring impeccable color and material quality standards for superior end products.

• Evaluated initial costs of apparel products and executed revisions in designs, patterns, and markers, leading to substantial cost reductions and minimized wastage.

• Translated brand aesthetic and identity through mindful approaches in design, photography, garment construction, and merchandise planning, recognizing the significance of establishing a connection between the product and the consumer.

• Delivered exceptional customer service and solutions through email and phone interactions, prioritizing customer satisfaction and ensuring their valued experience with the product.

Associate Designer

BCBG Softwovens & Day Dresses

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

Aug 2012 – Dec 2014

• Crafted comprehensive design cards for dresses and tops, providing detailed information on materials, trims, colors, pattern pieces, and markers for efficient and precise garment production.

• Engineered graphical prints for garment marker layouts, employing scarf, border, and/or double border prints to optimize the visual appeal and efficiency of the production process.

• Communicated all first pattern requests and style revisions from design meetings to the first patternmakers, maintaining clarity and accuracy in design execution.

• Led and fostered a collaborative environment within a team of three associates, encouraging teamwork and creative synergy.

• Generated monthly softwovens style linesheets and lookbooks, serving as impactful sales presentation materials to showcase the latest collections and designs among cross-functional teams.

• Developed intricate embellishment layouts for neckline and edge details, skillfully incorporating beading and heat transfers to enhance garment aesthetics.

• Utilized Adobe software to digitally mockup stylelines, colors, and prints on models, ensuring a visual representation that aligns with design concepts.

• Assisted the senior designer in nightly design meetings and fitting sessions, actively taking notes and effectively communicating design changes to team members and relevant parties.

Design Associate

BCBG Hardwovens & Outerwear

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

Oct 2010 – Aug 2012

• Produced monthly delivery linesheets and merchandising lookbooks, showcasing seasonal collections and incorporating color selections and fabrications for impactful sales presentations.

• Managed and updated all hardwoven and outerwear style information within the BCBG WebPDM system, ensuring seamless collaboration with the development and production teams.

• Tracked all first design and duplicate showroom samples, overseeing the efficient shipment of samples to appropriate sales channels.

• Created individual design cards detailing relevant materials, trims, colors, patterns, and markers, contributing to the overall concept ideas and effective collaboration within the fashion design team.

• Managed a library of hardware trim, efficiently replenishing depleted inventory using purchase orders.

• Prepared style cutting tickets for in-house sample cutting, including patterns, design cards, and swatches, ensuring clarity in communication and expectation.

• Engineered graphic print layouts on jackets across all size breaks to enhance fabric efficiency and lower final costs, ensuring maximum material utilization and a reduction in resource wastage.

• Utilized sketching to create style flats for jackets, coats, pants, and shorts, managing a style illustration database.

Production Assistant Patternmaker

Hardwovens & Outerwear

BCBG | BCBG Runway | Max Azria | Hervé Léger

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

Oct 2009 – Oct 2010

• Collaborated with the jacket and outerwear production patternmaker to ensure and establish proper fit and garment specifications for each adopted garment.

• Measured jackets, pants, coats, and skirts, meticulously recording specifications within the WebPDM system to maintain accurate and detailed garment information.

• Assisted in fitting first, pre-production, and production fit samples, actively recording comments during fit sessions to contribute to the refinement of garment fit.

• Created and consolidated garment style information into production tech packs, including sewing instructions, to provide clear and comprehensive guidelines for the technical design teams.

• Released pre-production samples, patterns, and tech packs to technical design teams, ensuring a seamless transition from preproduction to production.

• Hand-cut styles of jackets, skirts, and coats, employing industrial fusing and pressing machines to control shrinkage and maintain garment specifications with precision.

• Managed the sample library across three seasons, ensuring organization and accessibility, while also maintaining the inventory of production trim.

• Employed Gerber software to edit and finalize style production patterns, creating production models that align with approved style standards.

Technical Design Assistant

BCBGenerations Wovens

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

Aug 2009 – Oct 2009

• Assisted the senior technical designer during live model fittings, actively participating by taking notes and implementing changes to garments as necessary.

• Communicated all pertinent style information and all fit changes to vendors overseas, ensuring quality control and standards.

• Created comprehensive final production tech packs, encompassing style graded specifications, BOMs, packaging details, markers, and digital patterns, ensuring precise guidelines for the production team.

• Conducted daily measurements on a variety of dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories, ensuring strict compliance with specifications and quality standards.

• Organized the technical garment sample inventory across three divisions and multiple deliveries, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and efficiency.

• Attended monthly fit and trim reviews conducted by design teams, presenting confirmed styles and contributing technical insights.

• Provided detailed technical comments on fit samples and offered shipment approval comments, addressing any issues related to grade, specification, color, or trim changes.

• Edited and finalized style fabric yield revisions based on feedback from fit sessions, maximizing fabric usage and strategically reducing final costs.

• Altered fit samples to provide detailed and informative images illustrating changes in fit and construction.

Merchandising Intern

BCBGeneration

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

Jun 2009 – Jul 2009

• Spearheaded the creation and publication of monthly trend boards, showcasing a keen eye for current market trends and creative insights.

• Cataloged store performance evaluations from regional sales channels, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics.

• Generated detailed weekly and monthly sales analysis reports using in-house software, providing valuable insights into sales trends and performance metrics.

• Conducted in-depth research into current brand consumer buying habits, contributing to trend reporting and strategic decision-making.

• Prepared the showroom for impactful sales presentations with internal and external buyers, ensuring a visually appealing and organized setting.

• Attended weekly design and merchandising meetings, actively engaging in discussions about sales trends, bestsellers, worst performers, and other critical aspects of business strategy.

Design Intern

BCBGeneration

BCBG Max Azria Group
Vernon, California

May 2009 – Jun 2009

• Executed meticulous alterations on presentation and showroom samples, ensuring adherence to the highest quality standards and maintaining a consistent brand aesthetic.

• Collaborated closely with senior designers in developing seasonal color palettes and shaping the narrative for the collection, contributing to a cohesive and compelling design story.

• Oversaw the product style database within the company's WebPDM product lifecycle management system, ensuring accurate and organized documentation of crucial design information.

• Generated and edited seasonal linesheets on a daily basis, facilitating effective communication of design changes across divisions and ensuring seamless collaboration within the team.

• Utilized WebPDM to create and publish style design cards and BOMs, providing comprehensive documentation essential for design and production processes.

• Presented monthly line and trim review presentations to production and merchandising teams, skillfully negotiating cost-cutting strategies and contributing to strategic decision-making.

• Initiated and nurtured partial process and sourcing connections with overseas vendors.

Ball State University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Muncie, Indiana

• Magna Cum Laude

• Majors: Apparel Design | Fashion Merchandising

• Minors: Anthropology | Marketing

• Courses: Fashion Draping, Flat Pattern, Fashion Illustration, Apparel History, Merchandising, Apparel Tailoring, Garment Construction, Textiles & Design, Apparel Manufacturing & Wholesale, CAD Illustration, Mathematics, Fashion Forecasting & Designers, Senior Collection Study, Fashion Promotions, Retail Buying, Biological Anthropology, Psychology, German Levels I - IV, Organic Chemistry, Astronomy, Western Civilization, Food & Hospitality

• Groups: Phi Kappa Phi, Fashion Design Society