Queens, New York, United States
I am a seasoned product development and sourcing leader with over 20 years of experience in the home products industry. As the Lead of Product Management and Packaging at Ralph Lauren Home, I oversaw the seasonal development of raw materials and finished goods from design inception to production, managing a team of technical designers, fabric developers, and product managers to bring our designer’s vision to life. My core competencies include material R&D, product development, sourcing, merchandising and strategic planning, which enable me to drive high-quality communication with global offices and vendors and offer solutions to product development challenges. In my role, I successfully optimized processes, reduced costs, and improved quality and customer satisfaction. I am also passionate about fostering sustainable practices and achieved corporate sustainability goals years ahead of schedule. In previous roles at Jonathan Adler and Fab.com, I built and led sourcing and product development departments, overseeing private label categories and collaborations. And as a Sourcing & Product Development consultant, I provided valuable support to clients including Ralph Lauren, Friends of the High Line, and Parachute Home.
Created sourcing strategies, vendor matrices, measured vendor performance, performed QA inspections and established multi-season development calendars for emerging and established retailers. Supported sourcing, merchandising, product development and supply chain from introduction to receipt for multiple clients, including Friends of the High Line, Parachute Home, Dara Artisans, and Ralph Lauren. Served as Interim Director of Home Textiles Product Development at Ralph Lauren Home 2014-2015.
Led a multidisciplinary team to ensure the successful execution of sourcing, product development and vendor management initiatives across multiple home assortments, contributing to over $150 million in annual sales globally. Drove closer to needle-point textiles sourcing strategy directing vendor allocation and leading cost & moq negotiation for finished goods and packaging across 12 countries. Collaborated with Design to develop new and innovative material qualities for all soft home brands and price points for Bedding and Bath. Implemented the RL Home product and packaging sustainability strategy roadmap. Oversaw the creation and distribution of allocation reports, technical specifications, product assessments and samples for two markets annually. Managed End to End supply chain calendars in collaboration with Merchandising & Planning team leaders globally. Partnered with Ralph Lauren offices, sourcing agents and direct vendors worldwide to drive efficient communications and provide risk assessment on raw material, packaging and finished goods development. Monitored vendor performance and balanced global allocation by volume and sku count as needed. Built and fostered relationships with North American, EU & APAC Merchandising and Design to assess production feasibility and adherence to line plan parameters prior to product adoption. Exceeded company and retail engagement targets in managerial surveys. Achieved soft goods product sustainability strategy 2 years ahead of the RL corporate goals. Spearheaded “Special Projects” development for the US Olympics team and Grand Slam Tennis tournaments.
Began the Sourcing & Product Development department for Fab private label brand Created assortment plans, budgets and product development. Manage merchandising, sourcing and product development for private label categories, including hard & soft home, luggage & personal accessories, with the support of a 5 member team. Created, implemented and maintained a seasonal calendar to develop and launch 2000 product sku’s within 1 year. Identified and established a network of viable production partners with proven track records to bring a wide assortment with multiple aesthetic points of view to market within 9 months. Established & managed the communication, sampling process, packaging and product testing requirements for Fab vendors. Worked collaboratively with merchandise planning & buying teams to determine seasonal assortment selection based on proven successes. Negotiated and implemented licensing contracts with design studios to create exclusive products. Visited vendors, domestically and internationally, to select merchandise, trouble shoot product development, view production in process and direct vendors on maintaining quality standards. Attended trade shows in South America, Europe and Asia to assess new vendor capabilities and trends.
Managed sourcing and production for all categories including furniture, decorative accessories and textiles. Created, implemented and maintain a seasonal calendar for product development. Negotiated contracts with William E. Connor Agency and third party vendors. Managed supply chain, costs and deliveries; working with freight forwarders to arrange merchandise shipments and deliveries to multiple distribution centers. Developed and implemented 1, 3 and 5 year departmental goals. Managed production and logistics for wholesale and licensing partners including Lacoste, HSN, Neiman Marcus and Edition Hotels. Researched and selected 3PL warehousing & white glove delivery providers in the United Kingdom. Managed damages, charge backs and return to vendor processes. Implemented new packaging requirements to reduce damage & returns.