Katlyn Yee
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About
As a freelance apparel designer specializing in women's activewear, I assist start-ups and established brands bring their creative visions to life. Let me help your brand overcome the challenges of taking your vision from a simple idea to a beautiful finished product.
With 10 years of experience in the apparel industry, I have turned my childhood passion for fashion into a design career built on a deep understanding of trends and consumer needs. As a full-time designer for commercial brands, I have managed numerous product lines through design innovation, research and development, and successful collaboration with cross-functional team members.
Now, as a freelance apparel designer focusing on women’s activewear, I bring a detail-oriented and dedicated approach to my work, and I have a proven record of increasing sales for the products I have designed. Let me help your brand overcome the challenges of taking your vision from a simple idea to a beautiful finished product. I'm excited to get to know you and your brand!
My Services I Offer Include:
*Trend Forecasting and Concept Creation: Color Palettes, Mood Boards, Market Research, & Concept
*Product Developer for Design and Development: Front and Back Technical Flats drawn in Adobe Illustrator that any factory can understand.
*Sourcing Domestic Fabrics with low minimums including Sustainable Fabrics!
* Accurate and Detailed Tech Packs for amazing 1st proto samples you will be proud of.
*Production Approvals: Lab Dips, Trims, Strike-offs, Handlooms, and Color Approvals
I look forward to collaborating with you to create beautiful products. If you are interested in working with me, I offer a free discovery call to better understand you and your brand's needs. Let's connect soon! -
Education
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Bachelor of Science- Apparel Design and Development Apparel Design and DevelopmentUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout2008 - 2012
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Experience
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Freelance Fashion Designer- ActivewearSun Prairie, WIApr 2022 - Present (2 years 7 months)As a freelance apparel designer specializing in women's activewear, I assist start-up and established apparel brands overcome the challenges of the product development process to bring their creative visions to life.
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Designer- Womenswear/Product Developer at Duluth Trading CompanyMount Horeb, WIOct 2019 - Feb 2022 (2 years 4 months)• Responsible for managing the entire product life cycle, from concept to bulk production. Accountable for the development of products from initial sketch, color and fabric selection, and fitting garments to bring products to life online and in retail stores
• Daily collaboration with cross-functional team members, including tech design, merchants, individuals working from home/hybrid model, and overseas vendors to source trims/materials; monitored commit dates; re-designed garments to meet ELC costs; and calculate market retails to reach desired seasonal IMU goals
• Conceptualized designs into Adobe Illustrator sketches, incorporating unique and novel details and fabric technologies
• Partnered with Director to create brand’s seasonal color palette, re-color artwork from vendor, and create plaids or yarn-dyed stripes/checks in Adobe Illustrator
• Identified product gaps in the market using research trends, historical sales data, and customer reviews to create new garment concepts and designs -
Associate Womenswear Apparel Designer at Kohl’s- Sonoma BrandMenomonee Falls, WINov 2014 - Oct 2019 (4 years 11 months)• Developed relevant knit tops, dresses, and bottoms designs (2015-2016)
• Designed woven/knit bottoms, denim bottoms, jackets, and skirts, with focus
on new silhouettes, destruction, novelty embroidery, laser printing, nicking/grinding, and
wash adjustments to be cost effective
• Accountable for all product development from initial sketch, color, fabric selection/
sourcing, fitting garments, and collaboration with production to ensure timely deliveries
• Collaborated with Design Director to create entire brand’s seasonal color palette and select
appropriate colors for tops and bottoms
• Specialized in garment-dyed and dye-effect programs, with focus on creating a vintage
aesthetic
• Increased all 2018 denim sales by 48% and 2018 jacket sales by 20%, compared to 2017
• Increased 2018 utility bottom sales by 7% and developed a variety of comfort waistbands
with the use of elastic, ribbed knit fabric, and hem interest -
Assistant Womenswear Designer at Lands' End & Lands' End CanvasDodgeville, WIJun 2012 - Nov 2014 (2 years 5 months)• Developed new woven tops designs for the core brand Lands’ End, Lands’ End Canvas, Lands’ End Japan, Lands’ End Europe, and extended size’s
• Accountable for all product development from initial sketch, color, fabric selection/ sourcing, fitting garments, and working with production to ensure timely deliveries
• Met gross margin plan for 2013
• Improved company’s 4th top rated product and introduced a new silhouette, which increased last year’s sales by 30%
• Successfully oversaw all woven tops from beginning through completion for two consecutive seasons of Spring and Summer 2015 during senior designer’s maternity leave
• Evolved past designs by selecting cost effective innovative fabrics, referenced market trends, developed new hardware/trims, enhanced fit of garment, selected market relevant prints, and recolored the patterns to become more refined
• Created key looks that supported the seasonal brand stories for the retail market, the internet, and the catalogs while partnering with my cross functional omni team to achieve the teams’ overall goals and design intent
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Industries
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Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@KatlynYeeDesigns, member since 2022
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