Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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Jin Lee

Tampa,FL

Summary

ATTRIBUTES

*20+ years of fabric research and development experience, with expertise in capturing the needs of consumers through research and innovation and translating into marketable and profitable materials with sustainable solutions, working with global supply base.

*Specialty in fiber/yarn platforming and development with functional and aesthetic goals in mind.

*Ability to balance multiple responsibilities and large scale projects efficiently in fast paced environments.

*Excellent problem solving, presentation, time management and organizational skills.

*Effectively leads and motivates team to deliver on goals and objectives.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Manager, Materials

Fanatics Inc
02.2019 - Current
  • Fabric lead for a multi-level, international licensed, wholesale and DTC apparel business including athletic uniform jerseys and fanwear for MLB, NFL, NBA, NCAA, F1, and international sports
  • Built the fabric library, development SOP for fabric R&D, development Innovation roadmap and calendar, building a new fabric team
  • Engineered fabrics in accordance with athletic uniform for the professional league performance and wash standards with offshore and domestic decoration and printing requirements
  • Led a team of 2 developers with fabric development and commercialization starting with Research and development calendar and Innovation roadmap to development testing finalization and sourcing allocation completed with multiple strategic sources with sample yardage in time for SMS calendar
  • Trained and led the newly created overseas teams in Bangkok and Honduras on yarn traceability, creating mill profile formats and mill scorecard
  • Created innovation roadmap, developing and sourcing new trends in fabrics, fiber and yarn performance technology based on Good/Better/Best cost buckets and appropriate channels/end-use
  • Built the process for liability fabric usage for seasonal special programs, minimizing fabric liability charges.

Senior Manager, Fabric

Old Navy
02.2016 - 01.2019
  • Fabric Research & Development for a multi billion dollar international family brand
  • Fabric sourcing team leader responsible for leading the Internal SF fabric team and GIS Hong Kong Materials team, driving trend and product innovation whilst insuring consistency in quality and price
  • Responsible for bringing fashion and textile innovation and brand-right trends by researching market and attending trade shows in Europe and Asia, presenting seasonal Big Ideas to concept and design leads
  • Reduced the number of key material suppliers by direct sourcing from mills, resulting in raw material cost reduction and quality consistency
  • Streamlined platforming yarns/fibers to support monthly booking for on-demand speed to market production
  • Supported the GAP Inc Sustainability goals by sourcing BCI cotton and PCW Polyester in all core programs and trims, as well as water-reduction strategy working closely with the suppliers in washing and finishing
  • Managed a team of 4, overseeing women’s, men’s, kids, baby knits and activewear fabrics from concept to product material testing to insure design intent and quality assurance.

Manager, Fabric R&D

Chico‘s FAS
04.2010 - 01.2016
  • Department manager responsible for driving the research, gathering and development of fabrics for the jackets, collections and knit tops divisions
  • Initiated and successfully established a new fabric team in a 700-strore operation, managing a team of 3
  • Sourced raw materials ensuring the fabrics are brand appropriate, trend right, and of elevated quality so as to elevate the aesthetic and inherent value of the product and brand
  • Drove the T&A and fabric WIP through daily communication with internal cross functional teams and external vendor/mill partners in the development of seasonal/monthly fabrics working within the costing strategy
  • Introduced newness and seasonal fabric direction by researching trends and gathering swatches from PV and Texworld in Paris and NYC, Intertextile Shanghai and mill visits, creating and presenting seasonal fabric boards
  • Suggested and implemented fabric development solutions using technical expertise to create fabrics that support design goals and fabric pricing, quality, and T&A structure
  • Suggested and drove creative solutions to fabric pricing challenges
  • Built and updated fabric library while guiding the maintenance of the library through direct reports
  • Supported sourcing and allocation by widening the core fabric’s country of origin, working with mills in Mexico, Peru, USA, Korea, China, Turkey, India and Guatemala

Manager, Fabric

Ann Taylor
03.2007 - 04.2010
  • Fabric sourcing & development manager for dresses, tops, and sweater yarns, casual women's and denim
  • Responsible for fabric sourcing + development to support the 'best seller strategy' to ensure bringing brand appropriate and trendy products at a value price point
  • Initiated and helped build the Loft Outlet Stores fabric strategy and fabric library, starting from the initial launch with 20 stores and building up to 95 stores nationwide
  • Attended seasonal trend and line building meetings to set initial fabric direction based on core and novelty ratio and IMU goals
  • Sourced and developed fabrics from China, HK, Korea, India, Sri Lanka for woven tops, dresses, denim, knits, and casual separates for Ann Taylor and LOFT factory divisions
  • Developed and approved washes and dry process for denim and casual woven fabrics
  • Attended style fits to work with production and technical design to make suggestions and give input from fabric construction for effective cost engineering strategy
  • Traveled to HK, China, Korea, India, and Sri Lanka to update seasonal fabrics and negotiate core pricing every 6 months
  • Visited garment manufactures and wash houses to maintain fabric quality standards

Associate Fabric Buyer

Carlisle, William Rondina Inc
02.2006 - 03.2007
  • Working with design team, took charge of sourcing and developing fabrics, leathers,fur, and trims by working with high-end European, Japanese, and Korean mills and converters.

Fabric Coordinator

Calvin Klein Better Sportswear
07.2004 - 02.2006
  • Liaison between design and merchandising/pre-production- beginning with initial design concepts through fabric adoption, purchase, and bulk delivery.

Production coordinator

J&J TEXTILE, CORP
07.2002 - 07.2004
  • Fabric sales and overseas production coordinator in a textile converting agency.

Education

Fashion Merchandising Management -

Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York
New York, NY
2002

Skills

2019 Fanatics Inc Textile 101 class

2017-2018 Gap Inc, Textile 101 class

2010-2012 Chico’s FAS ‘Introduction to Fabric’ speaker for the internship program

2007 FIT Career Day- Guest Speaker

2007-2010 Ann Taylor College educational program speaker for fabric team

Languages

Korean
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Senior Manager, Materials

Fanatics Inc
02.2019 - Current

Senior Manager, Fabric

Old Navy
02.2016 - 01.2019

Manager, Fabric R&D

Chico‘s FAS
04.2010 - 01.2016

Manager, Fabric

Ann Taylor
03.2007 - 04.2010

Associate Fabric Buyer

Carlisle, William Rondina Inc
02.2006 - 03.2007

Fabric Coordinator

Calvin Klein Better Sportswear
07.2004 - 02.2006

Production coordinator

J&J TEXTILE, CORP
07.2002 - 07.2004

Fashion Merchandising Management -

Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York

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