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Industrial Designer and Product Manager - Craftabelle Creation Kits
Montréal, Canada
May 2013 - Present (8 years 5 months)
Worked independently to develop an upscale line of craft activity kits for girls aged 9-12
Acted as product manager, brand manager and designer for entire line
Researched trends and collaborated with marketing and art teams to establish brand definition (name, mission, value statement), competitive positioning / differentiation, and brand styling (look, logo, palette)
Set out planogram and pricing strategy in collaboration with sales team
Designed entire product range over 4 seasons: jewelry kits, home decor kits and craft storage (involving industrial design, sourcing, graphic design)
Supervised photography shoots for packaging and lifestyle artwork
Managed complex BOMs and tight production timelines and budgets
Worked closely with overseas suppliers and sourcing partners
Produced 16-22 new items per season
Designed and illustrated instruction pamphlets
Met with buyers regularly to analyze sales performance and plan future seasons
Evolved brand season-to-season to stay fresh and on-trend
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Owner and Designer
Laval, Canada
Sep 2011 - Present (10 years 1 month)
Created collection of original, certified organic cotton plush toys with fully developed personalities and backstories
Designed all graphic and promotional branding material
Designed and developed company website (www.lilikinandfriends.com)
Create and carry out all public relations and marketing campaigns
Worked on a number of freelance projects with established toy companies and entrepreneurs
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Industrial Designer and Product Manager - Volta Kids' Bicycle Accessories
Montréal, Canada
Feb 2014 - Jun 2015 (1 year 4 months)
Worked independently to develop new line of coordinated bicycle accessories for boys and girls
Acted as product manager, brand manager and designer for entire line
Researched trends and collaborated with marketing and art teams to establish brand definition (name, mission, value statement), competitive positioning / differentiation, and brand styling (look, logo, palette)
Set out planogram and pricing strategy in collaboration with sales team
Designed entire product range of 20 items (involving industrial design, sourcing, graphic design)
Managed complex BOMs and tight production timelines and budgets
Worked closely with overseas suppliers and sourcing partners
Met with buyers regularly to analyze sales performance and plan future seasons
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Industrial Designer and Product Manager - Our Generation Dolls
Montréal, Canada
Dec 2006 - May 2011 (4 years 5 months)
Responsible for highly successful line of 18” dolls and outfits, accessories, pets, etc
Designed two entirely refreshed assortments per year, comprising at least 6 new characters with related accessories, 12 independent outfits, 4 animal pet sets, and over 12 related themed sets
Responsible for meeting cost targets without sacrificing quality or style
Worked directly with overseas manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, sales team, product testing labs, distributors, retailers, book authors and illustrators, contractors
Designed graphics for proprietary printed textiles, silkscreens and other decorative elements
Closely followed market trends for 8- to 12-year-old girls demographic
Worked extensively on developing line brand and style for consistency and market leadership - sales increased despite industry-wide losses due to safety concerns and economic decline
Working independently, grew line so additional employees were required - this line now employs 8 designers
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Industrial Designer and Product Manager - Preschool Construction
Montréal, Canada
Jan 2010 - May 2011 (1 year 4 months)
Designed new and refreshed existing construction systems for preschool children
Researched and developed design briefs and mandates for projected lines based on market, competition, goals
Studied preschool capabilities in dexterity, construction, creative applications of set piece counts
Envisioned and planned complete line based on projected retailers, buyers, users: set variety and breakdown, item themes, price points, accessory add-ons, etc
Developed and fine-tuned branding: style guides, colour palettes, character figurines, packaging styles
Worked alongside engineering team on assembly methods, manufacturing techniques / limitations
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Founder and Creator
Lilikin Handmade
Laval, Canada
Jan 2009 - Mar 2011 (2 years 2 months)
Designed and created handmade apparel, toys, accessories for babies and children
Designed and created all graphic and promotional branding material
Presented products for sale online
Attended craft fairs to bring products to general public
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Industrial Designer - Preschool Toys
Montréal, Canada
Sep 2003 - Dec 2006 (3 years 3 months)
Worked as member of award-winning team designing plastic toys for children ages 1-5 years
Sketched concepts, produced mock-ups, functional prototypes, presentation models
Created production-ready 3-D CAD files of complex assemblies
Worked closely with marketing, advanced design, engineering and production teams
Followed projects through from concept to first-run production to point-of-purchase
Conducted market research and participated in focus groups with kids and parents
Promoted from Junior Designer after 2 years (4 years standard) - increased responsibility
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Design Intern
Vancouver, Canada
Jul 2001 - Apr 2002 (9 months)
Sketched concepts and built scale models of children’s furniture, public installations, custom designs
Produced visual communication material for client approval at all stages of concept and manufacture
Interacted directly with clients to see jobs through start to finish
Supervised and assisted in manufacture of products and furniture in-house
