Jen Larkin

Project based consultant focused on accessories direction for the women’s and men’s fashion markets, fashion illustration, branding, & the graphic arts.
CLIENTS:
KATE SPADE / Design Consultant for Women’s Handbags
NEW YORK, NY
MACY’S / Design Consultant for Women’s Handbags
NEW YORK, NY
LUCKY BRANDS / Design Consultant for Women’s Handbags
NEW YORK, NY
FLYWHEEL BRANDS / Design Director Contract
HIXON, TN
OUR TEMENOS / Illustrator & Graphic Designer - Logo Design
BROOKLYN, NY
SOFT SHAPE BAND / Graphic Artist - Album Cover
OAKLAND, CA
BENNI AMADI INTERIORS / Artist - Large Scale Commission
SAN FRANCISCO, CA & GENOA, IT
COURTNEY COY INTERIORS / Artist - Mural Installation
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Head of Design promoted from Design Director. Responsibilities included: concept, color, materials, branding, & collaborations direction, for bag & accessory lines. Overseeing the design team to keep brand aesthetic consistent, & ensure completion of key milestones . Partnering with the CEO, Creative Director, & Art Director, to influence branding, packaging, logo, print & pattern, & hat designs for Women’s, Men’s, & Unisex products. Partnering with Product Development Senior Director & team, to enhance strategies for sourcing, editing, & creating new materials development, with a focus on eco & recycled. Extensive travel to Vietnam, Indonesia, & China based factories. Attending trade shows, & shopping the market in NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, & Portland.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
● Grew business profits approaching 20% over 4 years - by sharing my knowledge with the factories to reduce costs & material waste, & by using simple pattern making & engineering constructions
● Award winning design creation for the unisex commuter backpack category, year after year, while expanding the Corporate Sales assortment & growth
● Leather Expertise & Resources - designed the multi-functional Women’s leather & fabric collections, while bringing resources from my tannery and mill relationships
● Eco Materials Research & Development - material sourcing & design
● Trend Research & Analysis - identified relevant macro & micro trends, with an exceptional color POV

Created & implemented innovative Heritage Collections, with iconic fashion silhouettes, for the multi-billion dollar, internationally renowned brand. Women’s & Unisex Collections included; Soft Legacy, Legacy Weekend, Legacy, Saint James Collaboration, Pinnacle (flagship stores only), Chelsea, Tribeca, Ali, Soho, & Bleecker. Conducted seasonal line presentations to former Creative Director Reed Krakoff, the CEO, the EVP & SVP of Women’s Design, Corporate Merchandising, & cross-functional partner leads. Collaborated with cross-functional teams on merchandising, production, & the overall design calendar. Worked extensively with factories & international counterparts in Italy, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Vietnam. Shopped the market in the U.S, Japan, & Europe.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
● Design Direction & Team Management - led, guided, & served as the visionary for stellar execution with my design team; approving a smooth sample development process, technical specifications, & high quality standards, to ensure timely completions for ordering & market
● Revenue Growth - exceeded profits, above and beyond, line plan expectations
● Trend Direction & Analysis - researched, developed, & translated cutting-edge global consumer trends to ensure adherence to design strategy
● Product Identification Opportunities - concept creation & identification to fill white space in the accessories marketplace
● Vendor Relationship Management
● Leather & Eco Material Research & Development
● Fashion Illustration & Art Direction- figurative drawing for internal use, logo design and typography knowledge to manipulate branding techniques on leather & fabric

Designed, researched, and collaborated on all accessories categories for Women’s and Men’s Bags, Small Leather Goods, Belts, Hats, Scarves, Gloves, and Cold Weather Knit Accessories, in partnership with the VP of Accessories Design. Managed designers and worked closely with the Product Development & Merchandising Directors, to ensure hitting timelines and creating relevant products for each category.