I have been able to design and create all different silhouettes from outerwear, denim, dresses, knit tops, and bottoms. My designs are an all-encompassing process including idea/concept, sourcing materials, communication with manufacturers, spec/grading, costing, quality control, and merchandising/styling.

The collection currently featured is entitled Minimal + Classic. The inspiration for the concept was to capture a woman who wears everyday classics with an effortless style all her own. Throughout the year I design a collection for each season.

The beach and ocean are my happy place.  It’s no wonder why I jumped on the first opportunity I had to break into the swimwear market.  I immediately fell in love with the freedom to infinitely mix and match color and prints in a way that doesn’t work in apparel.  The added bonus to this wide range of options means that I am also able to incorporate quite diverse sources of inspiration.

My latest swim line is called Multifunctional.  I created swimwear that could be worn in the water, but also easily paired with apparel.  For example, the one-piece suits are styled as bodysuits, some swim tops act as bralettes, and the crop top suit is perfect with causal denim shorts.  The collection comes together to create the perfect solution for any beach girl seeking a seamless beach to street look. 

With Tash Limited I dove into a market I knew would be challenging for me.  It is highly competitive making a niche of some sort necessary in order to make any headway in the industry. Taking these two elements into consideration is how Tash Folds came to fruition. The fashion foldable flat was designed for the girl on the go.

Usually the success of a business is measured by profits among other things, however, the knowledge I gained by venturing into Tash Folds and an unfamiliar industry is priceless.  Without having taken that leap of faith I never would have learned the concept of marketing, or how helpful a niche can be to a small business start-up, or simply how to run a successful business.

Branding: The creative process for branding Tash Folds gave me “boots-on-the-ground” experience.  I designed a stylish foldable flat that came with its own small bag bearing an embroidered logo. The bag was simple and conveniently fit hassle-free into all types of purses.  Before I knew it, “Tash Folds for the Girl on the Go” had established an engaging presence in consumers’ minds and our branding strategy was being well received.  How could consumers not appreciate that certain happy, free feeling when you know you don't have to stay in painful heels all day!?

Merchandising: Merchandising is when planning and developing a strategy come together to sell a range of products that deliver sales and profit targets. As a merchandiser, I prepare demand plans prior to each season.  Each demand plan analyzes past sales figures and trends to anticipate future product needs.  After designing and sampling, I build quality control, accuracy and flexibility requirements into the contracts with the manufacturers.  Once product is received and allocated, I then monitor current stock, consider markdowns, promotions or clear outs. I also help to merchandise seasonal catalogs and an overall aesthetic for the brand.

Marketing goes hand-in-hand with how I design.  It is hard to conceptualize a collection without first visualizing the way those pieces will tell a story.  I truly began learning the ins and outs of marketing the day I stepped through the door of my first job and never stopped learning every day since .  I started small with arranging promotional events for Boardwalk Boardshop soon those tasks developed into web-related campaigns and emails blasts.  I continued studying marketing while in college earning my BA in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations.  I learned to write press releases and improved my methodology for organizing promotional events to includethings such as communicating with clients to help build sales.

Now for the past five years, I have been responsible for creating entire marketing campaigns for Lira including product placement with print media (Surfing Magazine, Bliss Magazine, ASOS Magazine) and managing social media platforms. A small sampling of my marketing for Lira Women’s and Tash Limited is included here.