Kristin Spiewak
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About
My experience in product design involves combining trend-right aesthetics and functionality while maintaining realistic cost goals. Throughout my professional experience, I have designed successful products from concept to market across many categories of business including indoor/outdoor furniture (playroom, bedroom, workspace, patio) and home decor (storage, lighting, wall art, decorative accents).
SOFTWARE:
Solid Works, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, proficient with both Mac and PC platforms.
SKILLS:
Design management, trend research and development, concept generation, design drawing, factory CAD specifications, user-centered design, furniture design, housewares design
EDUCATION:
I am a graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BFA in Industrial Design (2011).
For my professional work samples, please contact me. Thanks! -
Education
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BFA Industrial DesignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign2007 - 2011Courses: Product Interaction Research Lab (PIRL), Product Innovation, Introduction to Electronic Waste, Moving Design with Rick Valicenti, How Things Work
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Experience
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Furniture DesignerCrate & BarrelNorthbrook, ILApr 2019 - Present (7 years 2 months)
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Design ManagerCrate & BarrelNorthbrook, ILJan 2018 - Apr 2019 (1 year 3 months)
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Design ManagerMorton Grove, ILDec 2016 - Jan 2018 (1 year 1 month)•Lead and manage design team and artist/designer collaborations across all categories of business: furniture, softgoods, home décor, and toy.
•Follow through and maintain brand aesthetic and vision for new product developments.
•Design and develop products from concept to market for home decor (storage, lighting, wall art, decorative accents) and furniture categories (playroom, bedroom, workspace, outdoor) including: trend research, sketching, 2D modeling (Adobe Creative Suite), 3D modeling (Solidworks), sample specifications for vendors, internal sample reviews, and final product approval.
•Travel overseas with merchandising teams for on-site sample reviews. -
Product DesignerMorton Grove, ILSep 2015 - Dec 2016 (1 year 3 months)•Translate design briefs into creative, on-trend, and saleable products.
•Collaborate with the merchandising teams across many categories of business to develop new product: home decor, lighting, wall art, storage, decorative accents, and furniture pieces.
•Design and develop products from concept to market including: trend research, sketching, 2D modeling (Adobe Creative Suite), 3D modeling (Solidworks), sample specifications for vendors, internal sample reviews, and final product approval.
•Art direct and collaborate with contract and freelance designers/artists -
Industrial DesignerElgin, ILAug 2011 - Sep 2015 (4 years 1 month)•Designed furniture (patio, indoor, and back-to-school) for big-box stores in the USA and Canada including Sears, Kmart, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Sam’s Club, Costco, and Art Van Furniture.
•Developed and oversaw design process from beginning to market: trend research, sketching, 2D modeling (Adobe Creative Suites), 3D modeling and rendering (Solidworks), CAD factory specifications, sampling, client presentations, and sample approval.
•Maintained communications internally with US team and externally with manufacturer in China and Taiwan, including travel overseas for on-site visits multiple times a year for sample reviews and client presentations.
•Traveled internationally (Spoga in Cologne, Germany and Maison & Objet in Paris, France) and domestically for trend and product research.
•Presented trend and material research to clients. -
Industrial Design InternChicago, ILMay 2011 - Aug 2011 (3 months)•Designed packaging concepts including research, sketch ideation, product renderings, design specifications, and presentations for prospective clients: Love Candy, Runa Tea, Mighty Leaf Tea, Theo Chocolate.
•Communicated with overseas team in the Philippines to complete prototypes for presentation to clients.
•Edited and expanded internal design process manual.
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Awards
Talented Student Tuition Award Scholarship: 2010-2011, Dean’s List: Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, James Scholar Honors Student: Spring 2008, Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society: member from Fall 2007 - Spring 2011
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Affiliations
Industrial Designer's Society of America, UIUC Chapter
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Industries
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Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@kristinm314, member since 2009
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Following 25
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Followers 16
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