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Courtney Bailey O'Gara
72 Henning Dr, Montrose, NY 10548
tel: 201.621.3819
email: courtneyogara@gmail.com

EXPERIENCE:

TOMMY HILFIGER, PVH CORPORATION - NEW YORK, NY
FREELANCE DESIGNER/GRAPHIC & PRINT DESIGNER (NOV ‘10 - DEC ‘17)
• Supported many of the Hilfiger brands including Men’s Retail, Men’s Wholesale and Specialty Stores, and Children’s Retail.
• Worked closely with Design Directors and Designers to interpret apparel trends and develop new styles within multiple classifications such as Knits, Sweaters, Wovens, Denim, Swim, Outerwear, and Accessories.
• Illustrated flat sketches, developed original art including graphics, prints, yarn dye’s, and packaging along with additional design related tasks such as creating tech packs, line presentation materials, color palettes, trim libraries, and CAD work.
• Utilized ISIS (Integrated Style Information System)- a corporate product data management application used to build garment worksheets and integrate all product related information on one centralized database.
• Communicated with production department and factories to ensure proper execution of styles and maintain brand integrity.
• Responsible for the design of the Holiday 2011, Spring 2012, and Summer 2015 Children’s Accessory lines.
• Built and maintain reputation as highly capable, dependable freelance designer, who seamlessly fulfills needs both independently and as a team player efficiently and with attention to detail.

HEALTHTEX, LT APPAREL - NEW YORK, NY
FREELANCE SENIOR GRAPHIC/PRINT DESIGNER (APRIL ‘11 - AUG ‘11)
• Design original graphics, prints, and yarn dye’s for Infant/Toddler brand, HealthTex, sold exclusively at Wal-mart stores.
• Interpret creative direction from Design Director, and collaborate on a daily basis to offer an affordable, trend right products.
• Research and translate graphic and print trends through competitive shopping and trend services.
• Responsible for generating seasonal color cards, CAD work, and preparing trend presentation materials.

l.e.i. JEANS & GLO JEANS, JONES APPAREL GROUP - NEW YORK, NY
GRAPHIC & PRINT DESIGNER (FEB ‘08 - OCT ‘10)
• Graphic Designer for 4 lines- Juniors “l.e.i. Jeans” and “GLO Jeans” and “l.e.i. Girls” and “GLO Girls” (size 4-16).
• Key player in the launch of both l.e.i. and GLO knit and woven tops into Wal-mart and Kmart stores respectively.
• Responsible for artwork direction and execution of original artwork across multiple classifications including Knits, Wovens, Graphic T-shirts, Dresses, Lounge wear, and packaging/branding; Created 3-D renderings of in-store environments.
• Collaborated with Design Director and Production to elevate the line within cost conscious budget parameters.
• Demonstrated strong sense of color and composition, and the ability to merchandise multiple print stories.
• Researched and interpreted trends in color, print, and styling through market shopping, art studios, and trend forecasting services.
• Prepared all artwork for production and acted as direct liaison to factories including strike-off approvals.
• Responsible for implementing a FTP site which was used to instantly exchange and manipulate files over a shared network, and allowed for a more efficient and streamlined development process.
• Exercised flexibility and the ability to successfully prioritize, meet tight deadlines, and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, trend driven Juniors market.

NAUTICA KIDS, VF CORPORATION - NEW YORK, NY
GRAPHIC & PRINT DESIGNER (OCT ‘05 - JAN ‘08)
• Recruited member for branded Children’s apparel line (Boys/Girls infant - age 16).
• Responsible for the development and execution of original prints, graphics, yarn dye’s, embroideries, and appliques across all classifications including Knits, Wovens, Swim, Outerwear, Denim, and Accessories.
• Supported Head of Graphics with daily responsibilities, maintained artwork library, created seasonal color cards, and prepared all aspects of artwork production packages- including receiving strike-offs and directly communicating comments to vendors.
• Worked alongside Production and Merchandising departments to deliver requests on calendar, and within budget parameters.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and understand the youth consumer and translate the Nautica lifestyle into fresh and functional product design; Elevated the brand using innovative graphic techniques, and with great attention to detail, distinguishing Nautica Kids from the competition.

REGATTA PACIFIC ALLIANCE (USA) LLC - NEW YORK, NY
GRAPHIC DESIGNER (MAY ‘04 - OCT ‘05)
• Created original artwork across multiple classifications for several mass market and private label brands within Women’s apparel.
• Prepared all aspects of production packages and responsible for dispatching to factories.
• Retouched digital photos, and designed promotional material, sales collateral, and 3-D renderings of in-store environments.
• Developed and conducted training for employees on Adobe Illustrator software program.
• Demonstrated strong work ethic and ability to work as team player.

EDUCATION:

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY - UNIVERSITY PARK, PA
B.A., Graphic Design (MAY 03)

KINGSTON UNIVERSITY - KINGSTON UPON THAMES, UK
Successfully completed 30-week Attachment Course in Graphic Design (JUNE 01)

COURSES:
Advanced Illustrator and Photoshop; Advanced Excel; Typography; Packaging Design.

SKILLS:
Illustrator; Photoshop; InDesign; Pointcarre; Microsoft Office; Mac & PC Platforms.

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST