GIL TORRES
Jersey City,NJ
Summary
Professional design leader with focus on driving impactful design initiatives. Known for strategic approach that blends creativity with functionality, fostering collaborative environments to achieve outstanding results. Recognized for adaptability and reliability in dynamic settings, bringing strong skills in visual design and team leadership.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Design Manager
Gold Medal International
08.2013 - Current
- Create soft accessories for private label accounts: Macy’s, Nordstrom, Rack, Belk, and QVC.
- Develop in-house Women's and Men's brands: Polar Extreme and Clear Creek.
- Design, develop Legwear and slippers for our license brand, Martha Stewart Brand.
- Develop seasonal product categories: Cut and Sew Base-layer, Sleepwear, Cold Weather, legwear, hosiery, and slippers.
- Manage design team to conceptualize seasonal trend direction following customer aesthetic.
- Establish color palette for each season, source new fabrications and develop seasonal trend boards
- Design concepts for each brand based on seasonal and quarterly deliveries, by market and price point
- Travel to Europe to research market, fabric trends, and visual merchandising
- Research domestic retail market to identify opportunities and execute innovative new products
- Drive design development with cross functional departments and sales team by brand identity
- Own process according to design calendar and within company guidelines
- Lead tech pack process for all product categories and collaborate with technical design partners
- Work with Production Manager to ensure PP samples and packaging prototypes meet brand standards
- Interface and communicate between overseas vendors, manufacturers and negotiate prices
- Communicate all production approvals to factories, and production team
- Present trends and collection cross functionally to sales, merchandising and buyers
Head Designer
Hemisphere Div. of Liquid Knits
01.2011 - 08.2013
- Established a new Womenswear division named Hemisphere for private label accounts: Dressbarn and Steinmart.
- Designed new contemporary brand - TREU for Bloomingdale's, Quotation Department.
- Revamped Liquid Knits - Slinky Brand collection for HSN business
- Collaborated with design team and domestic sample room through entire design process
- Managed and mentored Associate Designers and Assistant Designer
- Managed a sample room team, composed of two patterns and four sample makers
- Developed all color and trend direction, with new fabric selection by season
- Researched the domestic retail market – outlining competitive shopping and analysis
- Traveled to directional trend shows, to compose global trend concepts for print and pattern
- Maintained aesthetic of each brand and executed style within given price points and margins
- Participated in all fittings and updated fit for existing plus size brands
- Presented capsule collections monthly to merchandiser and buyers
Design Director
Urban Stitching, Inc.
08.2003 - 08.2010
- Designed private label Key items for Chico’s FAS and Soma – Specialized in Cut and Sew Knits
- Facilitated all phrases of design for ladies manufacturing business
- Initiated all concepts, color, print and silhouettes
- Analyzed selling and shopped domestic market for new yarns & fabrics
- Directed the design team composed of four associate designers, two cad artists and two technical designers
- Collaborated with Sourcing manager
- Managed fabric and trim development for each brand
- Supervised all fittings and Time & Action calendar
- Communicated design revisions to all members of the design team
- Coordinated development for overseas and domestic programs
- Interfaced with VP Merchandiser, Sales Team, and Production Manager
- Traveled to factories in China and South America to follow up on pre-production samples
- Presented collection to buyers during market week
Senior Designer
Oxford Industries Inc. Div L.F. America
06.2000 - 07.2003
- Designed Cut and Sew Knit Tops, Woven Shirts, and Soft Dressing separates for Target
- Developed all technical sketches, and Tech packs for missy and plus size women clothing
- Sourced new fabrics and trims every season by price point
- Collaborated with print studios on hand draw artwork: prints, yarn-dye plaids or stripes
- Followed up on all development and programs placed in India, Turkey and China
- Reviewed all production print strike offs and handlooms
- Examined all dye lots and communicated comments to factories
- Managed Time & Action Charts for all programs
- Shopped stores with Designer Director to find new concepts and key items
- Traveled to store locations to review product mix, obtained feedback and shared information
Assistant Designer to Designer
Paramount Sportswear, Inc.
05.1995 - 05.2000
- Designed Cut and Sew Knit separates for Express, Lane Bryant and ICON brand
- Sourced fabrics and organized in-house fabric library
- Managed a sample room with one pattern maker, four seamstresses and one sample cutter
- Sketched and spec out all development garments
Education
Bachelor of Science Degree - International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries
Fashion Institute of Technology
NYC, NY03.2023
Associate in Applied Science - Fashion Design
Fashion Institute of Technology
NYC, NY03.1995
Art & Design Foundation -
Parsons School of Design
NYC, NY06.1991
Fashion Design major -
High School of Fashion Industries
NYC, NY06.1991
Skills
- Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
- CLO 3D modeling and Browzwear
- Ned Graphics
- PLM
- Web-Product Development management
- Microsoft Office, Word, Excel
- Product Development
- Fashion compliance
- Patternmaking and Technical design
- Fiber & Textile Sourcing
- Knowledge of garment construction
- Manufacturing
- Fabric Print & Pattern development
- Product visual presentation
- Strategic thinking
- Project leadership
- Fashion Marketing
- Design mentoring
Volunteer Experience
- Fashion Institute of Technology, Mentor, 06/01/22, 11/01/22
- High School of Fashion Industries, Senior, Honors Fashion Design Portfolio Development, 01/01/19, 12/31/21
Timeline
Design Manager
Gold Medal International
08.2013 - Current
Head Designer
Hemisphere Div. of Liquid Knits
01.2011 - 08.2013
Design Director
Urban Stitching, Inc.
08.2003 - 08.2010
Senior Designer
Oxford Industries Inc. Div L.F. America
06.2000 - 07.2003
Assistant Designer to Designer
Paramount Sportswear, Inc.
05.1995 - 05.2000
Associate in Applied Science - Fashion Design
Fashion Institute of Technology
Art & Design Foundation -
Parsons School of Design
Fashion Design major -
High School of Fashion Industries
Bachelor of Science Degree - International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries
Fashion Institute of Technology
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