Amanda Root

MEN'S // ACCESSORIES // TRIMS, LABELS, & BRANDING
Design & Product Development
- Competitive analysis, CAD linesheets, submit management, sample organization, collaborating on new apparel concepts.​

Private Brand Accessory Development:
- Manage headwear assortment.
- Lead soft accessory development.​
- Researching, proposing, and curating with potential collaborators.

Third-Party Vendor relations:
- Assortment planning​ & buying

DESIGN // PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT // BRANDING & MARKETING
​- Trend & Mood - Color palettes, compiling and organizing seasonal inspiration.
- Sketching - Flat, stylized, and technical sketches, construction callouts and detailed views.
- Tech Pack Design - Black & white sketches with detailed callouts, creating and editing the bill of materials, and a thorough understanding of the product development process. Leading fit sessions from a design perspective, making sketch and tech pack adjustments as necessary, and providing feedback to factories.
- Product Assortment - Curating a relevant product selection and creating line planners (total view of seasonal development filled with color and print).
- Custom Trims, Labels, & Branding - Including but not limited to: tapes, tags, jokers, flashers, custom/branded notions.
- Artwork - Motif and typography driven print and graphic design, and setting up files for production. Plaids.
- Accessory Design - Some experiences include: dog clothing, leashes and harnesses, hats, patches, stickers, underwear, folding chair collaboration.
- Outfit Curation - used for photo shoots, match back opportunities, and family moments.
- Product & Packaging Design - as well as table cloths, banners, etc. to use at trade shows.
- Mock Up Generation - capable of using your images and artwork generated on your samples.
- Email Communication - experienced communicating with overseas and internal teams.
- Guides and Reference Materials - used for sales teams, trade shows, internal teams.
- Trade Shows - experience attending shows, providing design intent and information to current and potential customers, and supporting sales teams with creative insight.

MEN’S // BIG & TALL // DOG // ACCESSORIES // TRIMS, LABELS & BRANDING
Led cross-functional teams in the design and development of outdoor, lifestyle, elevated menswear, and dog collections. Worked on product collaborations, and contributed to overall brand strategy and product marketing.
-Productivity & Driving Department Volume: Spearheaded product development initiatives for men's outdoor and lifestyle apparel, developing over 160 product styles; driving brand objectives and aligning with overall product strategy to enhance market positioning.
-Brand Strategy & Positioning: Conducted market research to identify trends, costumer preferences, and competitive analysis, directly influencing new products and marketing strategies.
-Marketing & Cross-functional Collaboration: Contributed to the creation of content for promotional materials, blog posts, catalogs, and digital platforms, reinforcing the brand’s image and expanding its market presence.
-Project Management: Led the design and launch of new product lines, collaborating with cross-functional teams (e.g. marketing, sales, overseas production) to ensure market relevance and consumer appeal; consistently meeting deadlines and ensuring timely execution of product launches and marketing campaigns.
-Storytelling & Presentation: Developed compelling product narratives, branding, labels, and marketing materials to enhance brand storytelling and elevate product visibility in target markets.
-Product Assortment & Planning: Managed product diversification initiatives, including entering new markets for dog clothing/accessories and an elevated menswear capsule, driving the opportunity for new revenue streams and expanding the brand’s consumer base.
-Styling & Direction: Created outfit guides and directives used for photo shoots, marketing, advertising, and sales teams.
-Continuous Learning: Utilized advanced tools, including generative AI, to streamline processes and enhance creative concepts.

Crown & Ivy | Girl, Boy, Toddler & Baby
Ocean + Coast Outdoor Activewear | Women's Missy, Extended Size, Men’s, Big & Tall, Girl, & Boy
ZELOS Athleisure & Activewear | Women's Missy, Extended Size, & Girl

- Lead Designer for women’s outdoor & activewear, and children’s private label brands.
- Efficiently managed a large workload and coordinated with various teams, vendors, and partners, streamlining processes and enhancing project outcomes.
- Successfully designed for diverse brand profiles and size ranges*, delivering tailored solutions that met unique brand needs and market demands.
- Led product research, design, development, and execution, driving brand objectives and achieving strategic product goals.
- Maintained brand consistency and adherence to seasonal assortments, aligning designs with each brand profile and target customer to ensure market relevance.
- Delivered designs that met merchant line plans, assortment strategies, and price points, aligning with overall creative direction and maximizing impact.
- Demonstrated effective management experience, leading teams and projects to successful completion.
- Achieved high productivity and project success in a remote work setting, ensuring consistent performance and reliability.
*Women’s Missy & Extended Size, Men’s, Big & Tall, Big & Little Children’s, Toddler, & Baby.
- Management experience.
- Productive in a remote setting.

Ocean + Coast Outdoor Activewear | Women's Missy, Extended Size, & Girls 4-6X, 7-16
ZELOS Athleisure & Activewear | Women's Missy, Extended Size, & Girls 4-6X, 7-16

- Leveraged the success of the men's outdoor activewear brand to design and develop an Ocean + Coast women’s line.
- Achieved a successful brand launch with expedited turnaround, facilitated by travel to Taiwan.
- Due to demonstrated success, took on the design and development of the Zelos women’s activewear brand.
- Post-pandemic, spearheaded the launch of Ocean + Coast girls' and reintroduced Zelos for girls' sizes, demonstrating adaptability and strategic growth.
- Opportunity to mentor, teach, and grow in my leadership while managing two Assistant Designers.

New Directions Studio & Sweaters | Women’s & Extended Size
Kim Rogers Athleisure & Sweaters | Women’s & Extended Size

- Led as the Assistant Designer for New Directions & Kim Rogers athleisure lines and provided support with another Assistant on sweaters for the same brands, enhancing overall team productivity and project outcomes.
- Streamlined processes by implementing “quick tech packs” for pre-development and proto samples, and responsible for data entry into PLM.
- Managed fabric library for new and existing fabrics; responsible for fabric and trim development, direction, and approvals.
- Built strong relationships with merchandising, brand management, and key vendors to optimize the development process.
- Assisted in fittings, the creation of presentation materials and setups, and performed seasonal trend research.

WOMEN’S KNIT TOPS // ACTIVEWEAR // ATHLEISURE // SLEEPWEAR

- With the promotion to Associate, responsible for designing and managing Athleisure Bottoms, driving successful product development, innovation, and execution.
- Conducted comprehensive trend research and created impactful inspiration boards, assisting with the design of styles which aligned to seasonal plans and trends, resulting in cohesive and market-relevant collections.
- Performed in-depth fabric and trim research, collaborating with multiple designers across all brand categories to select prints, colors, and details that conveyed compelling stories, enhancing overall design narratives.
- Demonstrated strong proficiency in PLM, ensuring accurate and efficient product development and vendor communication.
- Actively participated in meetings to finalize product details, contributing to seamless execution and high-quality outcomes.
- Managed one Assistant Designer, and trained and onboarded new hires, fostering team growth and ensuring effective integration into the design process.

WOMEN’S KNIT TOPS // ACTIVEWEAR // ATHLEISURE // SLEEPWEAR

- Trend research, create inspiration boards, collaborate on, and assist in design of styles based on seasonal plans and trends.
- Fabric and trim research, and collaboration with designer to designate prints that tell a story.
- Strong proficiency with PLM and filling out a thorough Bill of Materials.
- Attend and participate in meetings to execute on final details.
- Experience with management.
- Training and onboarding new hires.

DRESSY TEAM – WOMEN’S KNIT & WOVEN: TOPS // BOTTOMS // DRESSES

- Prepared detailed, clear, and precise flat visuals, including extensive interior views, which effectively communicated garment components and construction to manufacturers.
- Accurately measured samples and identified necessary adjustments to ensure a flattering fit for Cato customers.
- Actively participated in fit sessions, measuring fit models, and providing support to Technical Designers.
- Leveraged strong skills in design, presentation, illustration, and pattern making to deliver high-quality visual representations and contribute to successful garment development.

WOMEN’S - DRESSY // CASUAL // KNITS // WOVENS

- Prepare detailed sketches using adobe illustrator to create clear visuals for manufacturers to understand the components and construction of a garment.
- Sketch flat visuals for all views of a garment, including extensive inside views for construction purposes.

SERVER // FOOD RUNNER // HOSTESS // BARTENDER

- Serviced guests with food and beverage requests in a timely, professional, and friendly manner, and answered any questions about the food and the restaurant.
- Took advantage of excellent menu knowledge to advise customers and upsell menu items when possible.
- Ensured all tables and silverware are placed neatly and everything was tidy and clean at all times.
- Made sure that the customer has the best possible dining experience while they are visiting Red Onion.

Store Associate | August 2014 - October 2014
Store Manager Intern | May 2014 - August 2014
​
- Learned the basic duties and responsibilities of being a Maurices Store Manager.
- Developed and implemented tools and charts to help the store and staff perform on a higher level.
- Learned how to follow a POV (Point Of View- floor plan) and lay out the store accordingly.
- Created a schedule, lead an interview, had bi-weekly conference calls with representatives from corporate.
- Was involved in manager meetings, among many other things.

Other certifications: Certified Scrapbooking Teacher

- Provided excellent customer service to anyone who walked in the doors.
- Learned the store like the back of my hand and made it my goal to help anyone with virtually any project, from any location in the store.

I have a passion for arts and crafts, and design, and loved having the opportunity to be creative and think out of the box on a daily basis to help customers solve their crafting problems, or give them suggestions that might help make their projects easier and/or look better.