Christopher Lavelanet
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About
Christopher is a professional designer with 9+ years of professional consultancy and corporate design experience working within a diverse array of industries including transport, consumer product, footwear, packaging, eyewear, exhibition design with particular interest and success in lifestyle consumer product, packaging and automotive/transport design.
As a MA Automotive Design graduate from the Coventry School of Art & Design, Christopher possesses a strong ability to interpret and redefine brand equities into new progressive, distinct product design solutions. He has commanded every aspect of the professional design process from research and initial concept generation to overseeing product development and manufacturing over a variety of vehicle, product and packaging projects for Fortune 500 companies such as Ford, John Deere, Volvo, Oakley, Ferrari, Pepsi, Starbucks, Church & Dwight and more. Christopher has quickly ascended within the industry by successfully managing and developing large and small-scale game-changing products including the 2015 Ford Edge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcbZIRjGQGw), 2013 John Deere X3 and X5 residential riding mower, 2010 Volvo FM & FMX commercial trucks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Okc2I7DZfQ ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg6XkCs-J4k ), a revolutionary exercise machine and introductory exhibition fair stand for the X-Force brand (http://www.x-force.se/ ), latest Avon Skin So Soft packaging (http://shop.avon.com/shop/product_list.aspx?level1_id=300&level2_id=303&pdept_id=344&cat_type=B ) as well as numerous, emerging production bottles for Pepsi Co., to name a few. -
Education
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MA Industrial / Automotive DesignCoventry University2004 - 2005
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Diploma Transport Design & Consumer Product DesignCoventry University2003 - 2004
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BA MathematicsUniversity of California, Santa Barbara1996 - 2002
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High School Diploma Economical SciencesLycee Francais de New York1983 - 1996
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Experience
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Senior DesignerLos Angeles, CAJun 2016 - Present (6 years 11 months)
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Principal / Design DirectorLos Angeles, CAMay 2009 - Present (14 years)Founder of boutique design consultancy serving a diverse array of clients throughout a wide spectrum of industries and fields both in the New York Metropolitan area and worldwide.
Managing design projects both in house as well providing on-site consulting design services internationally.
•Projects include:
Brand identity campaign for UAE-based motorsports touring race team, TAM Engineering / House of Portier, for UAE and European circuit including 3 race cars, team trailer, race + pit crew suits, driver helmets, pit tent, merchandising, etc...
Production series of universal car key remotes for Singapore-based car accessories company, Soxxi, which are scheduled for 2nd quarter 2010 release.
Brand identity strategy and design ranging from market image and logo to website, product catalogue and flyers for a US based wireless solutions company, National Cellular. -
Senior Design ConsultantLos Angeles, CAMay 2014 - May 2016 (2 years)
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Lead Design ConsultantLos Angeles, CAAug 2013 - May 2014 (9 months)Lead designer for a high-end luxury athletic footwear and apparel label which merges the boutique fashion world with high performance sportswear for the 21st century progressive lifestyle.
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Lead Footwear DesignerLos Angeles, CANov 2012 - May 2014 (1 year 6 months)Lead designer for a billion-dollar global leader in the lifestyle footwear industry and a high-performance footwear brand. Skechers Performance includes product lines such as Skechers GOrun, Skechers GOwalk and Skechers GObionic footwear.
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Lead Industrial/Packaging Design ConsultantNew York, NYJun 2012 - Oct 2012 (4 months)Lead designer on multiple structural and graphic packaging projects for various global luxury beauty cosmetic brands.
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Lead Industrial/Transport Design ConsultantNew York, NYSep 2011 - Mar 2012 (6 months)Lead designer and team creative director on a range of transport, consumer electronic, and packaging projects for high-profile clients including John Deere, Panasonic, Colgate, and more.
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Automotive DesignerWayne, MIApr 2010 - Aug 2011 (1 year 4 months)Exterior designer for both Ford and Lincoln brand products for US and global markets.
Command in all aspects of the development process from initial brand DNA and concept generation to 3D CAD realization and overseeing full-scale and 1/4 scale clay and hard model development. -
Industrial Design ConsultantAtlanta, GANov 2009 - Apr 2010 (5 months)Contracted as a lead/mid-level designer for Philips Electronics' consultancy division working alongside Philips staff designers on an assortment of product and packaging projects.
Reporting directly to senior project managers, Creative Director, and Design Director of all North America. -
Lead Industrial DesignerGothenburg, SwedenMay 2008 - May 2009 (1 year)Design team member and lead designer on a diverse assortment of product-driven ventures for Bombardier, X-Force, Ikea, Stelton to name a few.
Involved in strategic planning and internal restructuring of consultancy as well as sales and marketing including promotional materials, recruiting clients and generating projects. -
Transport Design ConsultantGothenburg, SwedenMay 2008 - Mar 2009 (10 months)Working primarily within Volvo Trucks on future production release products, focusing primarily on exterior design solutions from envisioning future brand language and concept generation to surface detailing, parts and accessories.
Working within Volvo team of 2-3 designers, in cooperation with engineers and suppliers, answering directly to senior project leaders, Director of exterior design, up to Volvo Trucks Director of Design. -
Project Manager/Industrial DesignerNew York, NYMay 2006 - May 2008 (2 years)Provide total product solutions from ideation sketches to final presentation renderings, designing all aspects of product and packaging.
Alternating daily within a significant flux of client projects, participating in any given development phase of a given design from research to manufacturing.
Working along side a team of 4-6 designers, as lead designer depending on project, reporting directly to the Creative Director and President for weekly reviews.
Traveling for consumer and product research as well as client presentations for Fortune 500 Companies such as Pepsi Co., SC Johnson, Church & Dwight. -
Freelance Furniture DesignerNew York, NYFeb 2006 - May 2006 (3 months)Provide furniture design concepts ranging from bedding to lighting for Emporio Designs’ Modern Collection.
Produce full 3D CAD model of all concepts as well as reproduce individual client residences.
Illustrate final presentation images for client sales. -
Automotive Designer - Professional PracticeMaranello, ItalyJan 2005 - Sep 2005 (8 months)Finalist in Ferrari: New Concepts for the Myth competition: Ferrari 650 Berlinetta Sportiva.
Group (3 persons) project exploring new 4-door, 4 seats, mid engine V12 sports saloon concept.
Full length project covering interior & exterior concept generation, sketches, 3D alias & clay models, and animation.
Final presentation in Turin, Italy, in collaboration with Ferrari & Pininfarina chief designers. -
Industrial Designer - Professional PracticeCoventry, United KingdomApr 2005 - May 2005 (1 month)Design a new seat concept based off of Bridge of Weir’s Colour Odyssey III line of leather textures and colours.
Full design of seat from structure to materials & trimming and consideration of seat’s vehicular context.
Final presentation to Bridge of Weir executives, including concept generation, sketches, alias model, and animation.
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Awards
•Dec, 05 – 2nd Place Corus Award for “Best Vehicle Design” of 05'
•Nov, 05 – Finalist in Ferrari: New Concepts of the Myth Competition
•Sept, 05 – Shortlisted (Top five) in the Interior Motives Design Competition.
•Jun, 01 – Voluntary Community Service Award for teaching HTML workshop -
Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@clavelanet, member since 2007
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Following 13
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Followers 229
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