Elizabeth Newsom

PCER | Miami, FL
Working with a start-up Men’s Resort Collection on line plan creation, launch color palette, seasonal color flow, all aspects of design, establishing fit, fabric sourcing and development, branding, trim selection, and sample line development in Italy, China, and India.

Milk Nursingwear | New York, NY
Editing current in-season development and assortment to be more focused and trend forward. Expanding size range to include Plus sizes. Increasing print vs solid penetration to enhance merchandise offerings. Assisting with website redesign.

Belk, Inc. | Charlotte, NC
Translated Missy trend concepts for the Plus size customer while maintaining brand integrity and color identity for four private brands: Zelos (Active/Athleisure), True Craft (Juniors), Kaari Blue (Modern Contemporary), and Crown & Ivy (Classic).
• Increased online and in-store exclusively designed Plus product 20-25% per brand.
• Moved product forward by expanding core and novelty fabric selection.
• Maximized account opportunities via updating best-sellers and driving key fashion items.

Recruited for the new design team to convert Cato from a merchant-driven to a modern, successful design-driven company. Executed product met or surpassed total sales margins for six straight quarters.
• Presented original designs to the CEO, Executive leadership and Merchant teams monthly.
• Created a fabric and trim library to support design initiatives.
• Participated in quarterly shopping trips and established a library for reference samples.
• Directed color flow and original print development with CAD team.

Conceptualized and designed 16 full collections per year with sales revenues over $88 million.
• Raised the fashionability and overall taste level of the brand introducing modern silhouettes to the core product.
• Partnered cross-functionally with PD/Tech/CAD/Sourcing/Fabric/Merchant teams to manage the life cycle calendar utilizing the CAP plan to adhere to design development ratios, target cost, and margin requirements.
• Mentored 15 external vendor design teams to enhance standards of excellence and knowledge of the Travelers customer in preparation for twice-yearly vendor weeks.
• Managed workflow of Associate Designers, Assistant Designers, and Freelancers fostering professional growth via movement within the company and continuing education.

Promoted to direct a team of 15 designers and assistants.
• Oversaw the design development for six seasons of private-label product per brand for Ann Taylor Loft, NY & Company, Charter Club, and QVC.
• Responsible for the development of over 100 samples per month.
• Set up the showrooms and led buy-meetings for all accounts.
• Secured new accounts after single presentations to White House Black Market and Michael for Michael Kors.

SENIOR COLLABORATIONS DESIGNER
Successfully led a team of six to develop Designer collaborations from initial brand concept through final design sample review.
• Total average annual sales - $45 million.
• Target GO International; Calypso, Missoni, Prabal Gurung, and Jason Wu.
• The Shops at Target; The Webster (Women’s and Men’s), and Odin NY (Men’s).
• Odin NY was GQ’s Designer Collaboration of the year for 2012.
• Macy’s; Doo Ri, Alberta Ferretti, Matthew Williamson, Giambattista Valli, and Karl Lagerfeld.

Hired by the owner to relaunch a contemporary knitwear and sleepwear line for an e-commerce site.
• On-line sales increased by 30% in the first year.
• Expanded fabric sourcing and factory base in India, China, and Korea resulting in higher profit margins and a faster garment delivery.
• Devised innovative garment construction to enable customers to breast-feed discreetly.