Stephanie Elias

www.seliasdesign.com

Strategy and design for the kids' product industry. Expertise in both hard and soft goods. Collaborate with teams at the intersection of Strategy, Marketing, Design and Manufacturing. Clients list includes: Pottery Barn Kids, Sassy, Kids II, Learning Curve, Skip Hop, Disney, JJ Cole, Maclaren, Green Toys and Leapfrog.

Sample projects:
-Product Development Strategy
-Brand Development
-Market Research and Analysis
-Design Management
-Creative Direction
-Liaison to Licensors
-Ideation
-Product Innovation
-Renderings for Presentations
-Product Specs for Manufacturing
-Conduct focus groups
-Vendor relations
-Cost Reduction
-Sourcing
-Project Management through Manufacturing

-Part of core team brought in to create short and long-term planning objectives to expand the brand and impact revenue.
-Responsible for communicating vision both internally and externally in an informal and high level setting.
-Collaborated with engineering team in the UK and manufacturing arm in HK to move projects through production while sticking to timelines and budget.
-Researched, designed and spec’d products using performance fabrics, coatings, hardware, padding and trim to deliver highly functional and aesthetically pleasing products. All designs meet the needs of the consumer and follow the rigorous compliance guidelines for kids products.
-Projects include a new high performance stroller, line of stroller storage and kids backpacks, booster seat, baby carrier, soft goods and an exclusive stroller for the 2012 Olympics, equipment bags, home accessories for David Netto, and a co-branded stroller for BMW.

-Experience with wide variety of products and materials and manufacturing techniques.
-Projects included shelving, plush, storage, gear, home accessories, room décor, bedding, apparel and keepsake items.
-Able to visualize design of a room coordinating bedding, home accessories and furniture.

-As first designer hired, expanded Leapfrog’s LeapPad business and introduced the first Infant/Toddler and Juvenile product lines.
Introduced seven innovative products upon entering the Infant/ Toddler category, Leapfrog became the number two manufacturer in the toy industry.
-All seven items were ranked in the top fifty for the category.

-Invented new product ideas by building working breadboards.
-Fabricated, assembled and finished parts for prototypes.
-Used vacuum forming techniques and experimented with urethane resin casting.