Emily Giardina
Chapel Hill,NC
Summary
Dynamic fashion designer with 15 years of experience in outerwear, swimwear, and activewear, coupled with 4 years as an award-winning fashion design teacher. I am eager to leverage my design expertise and passion for mentorship in my next professional role.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
CTE Apparel Design Teacher
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
01.2021 - Current
- Recipient of the CHCCS New Teacher of the Year Award and Finalist for NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year
- Promoted career readiness by implementing simulated design industry projects and inviting professionals to provide feedback and insights about their career.
- Created and developed lesson plans that integrated current fashion industry skills while accommodating the diverse academic needs of students..
- Served as student council advisor, fostering leadership development by guiding students in promoting and fundraising for various school events and planning and budgeting for prom.
Senior Swimwear Designer
GIII Apparel Group
07.2017 - 09.2020
- Designed and launched DKNY and Tommy Hilfiger swimwear lines, managing seasonal design and development cycles.
- Oversaw daily operations and workload of assistant and freelance designers.
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration with merchants, sales, art, and technical teams to meet product deadlines and align with business goals.
- Partnered with the Tommy Hilfiger licensing team to ensure brand consistency.
Contract Under Armour Kid’s Outerwear Designer
Under Armour
05.2017 - 07.2017
- Led a project to design and prototype an elevated outerwear collection for the Under Armour Kids license. Conducted market research and collaborated with the merchandising director to create modern, brand-aligned designs. Presented final concepts and CAD assortments to Global Brands senior leadership and the Under Armour Corporate licensing team.
Contract Women’s Activewear Designer
Under Armour
02.2017 - 05.2017
- Collaborated with the design director to develop a top-tier women's running collection, leading the outerwear category. Responsibilities included conducting trend and performance research, technical sketching, fabric selection, creating Web PDM tech packs, participating in garment fittings, and working closely with the art team to design brand-appropriate graphics and prints.
Contract Women’s Cole Haan Outerwear Designer
GIII Apparel Group
09.2016 - 01.2017
- Partnered with the design director to design and develop outerwear for the Cole Haan Signature Label, ensuring high-quality design details for an off-price line.
Senior Designer
Sears Holdings Co.
07.2014 - 10.2015
- Senior designer overseeing Sears Outerwear and Juniors' Active and Lounge categories. Managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring attention to detail, meeting deadlines, and staying within budget. Traveled internationally for product development and presented prototype collections to merchandisers and executives.
Contract Designer, Catherine Malandrino Outerwear
Comint Apparel Group
09.2013 - 02.2014
- Independently led the design and development of a newly licensed outerwear line for the Catherine Malandrino label, managing all aspects of the project from concept to completion.
Senior Outerwear Designer
Levy Group
08.2012 - 08.2013
- Designed and developed the Laundry by Shelli Segal outerwear line and private label collections. Collaborated with the sales team to expand the private label business, securing partnerships with Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters, Saks Off Fifth, and Barney's. Traveled internationally to work directly with vendors on new developments and oversaw the daily operations of assistant designers to ensure project deadlines were met.
Senior Designer of Private Label
GIII Apparel Group
07.2008 - 07.2012
- Managed all aspects of outerwear design and development for 15+ private label clients, leading presentations that successfully secured numerous sales. Oversaw a small team of designers, fostering their growth and development within the company.
Designer, Tommy Hilfiger Outerwear
S. Rothschild and Co.
10.2006 - 07.2008
- Led the design and launch of the Tommy Hilfiger outerwear license, overseeing concept and trend development, fabric sourcing, and collaboration with patternmakers on wool outerwear designs. Worked closely with overseas vendors on additional categories and managed the seasonal design process through production.
Assistant Designer, Private Label Outerwear
GIII Apparel Group
08.2005 - 09.2006
- Interpreted head designer’s hand sketches into AI technical flats, Web PDM packages, and created customer presentation boards and line sheets.
Education
B.S. Apparel Design and Technology -
Purdue University
West Lafayette, INSkills
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Design Direction
- Fashion Trend Forecasting
- Building Private Label Business
- Outerwear, Active, and Swimwear expertise
- Private Label Business Development
- Leadership & Mentorship
Timeline
CTE Apparel Design Teacher
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
01.2021 - Current
Senior Swimwear Designer
GIII Apparel Group
07.2017 - 09.2020
Contract Under Armour Kid’s Outerwear Designer
Under Armour
05.2017 - 07.2017
Contract Women’s Activewear Designer
Under Armour
02.2017 - 05.2017
Contract Women’s Cole Haan Outerwear Designer
GIII Apparel Group
09.2016 - 01.2017
Senior Designer
Sears Holdings Co.
07.2014 - 10.2015
Contract Designer, Catherine Malandrino Outerwear
Comint Apparel Group
09.2013 - 02.2014
Senior Outerwear Designer
Levy Group
08.2012 - 08.2013
Senior Designer of Private Label
GIII Apparel Group
07.2008 - 07.2012
Designer, Tommy Hilfiger Outerwear
S. Rothschild and Co.
10.2006 - 07.2008
Assistant Designer, Private Label Outerwear
GIII Apparel Group
08.2005 - 09.2006
B.S. Apparel Design and Technology -
Purdue University
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