Karis Symons

- In my complex role, I work proactively and independently across all girls’ product categories (woven, knit, jersey, denim, and complements) and customer groups (Baby, Kids, and Young for projects). Through strategic assortment planning, I identify product gaps in price, product type and relevance, and design to these gaps, responding to both market and climate needs, while also acting quickly on fashion and customer insights to drive sales and market growth.   - I have a strong eye for coordination, both colors and details within one collection to make products look tasteful, elevated but still very commercial. exemplified by the successful 2025 Diwali Collection. With a broad scope across the Girls division, I stay up to date and act on all selling insights as well as keeping the customer at the center of all product decisions, which also helps when giving ranking insights.   - I use my product, component and systems knowledge to make the product process smooth and time efficient, this is helped by flexible mindset and by utilizing my early adaption of new processes, for example AI tools and being a PLM superuser, this allows me more time to focus on the assortment and product perfection, and makes art working, sample handling, prototyping and fitting efficient.   - A key strength of mine is being highly futuristic, I use this daily in research and trend analysis, I have an eye for what’s happening in the fashion world and what’s coming next. This not only helps ensure our concepts and product inspiration start off in the right direction but enables me to act fast to turn these ideas into commercial products, an area which will be hugely needed for our market growth in India.   - I am a strong informal leader who contributes positively to team dynamics, openly shares knowledge, and handles rapid change with a positive, solution-focused mindset, creating a strong foundation for team collaboration and performance, this has been highlighted by my manger.

- I have driving strong sales results across Jersey and License, through current, relevant and strong trending assortments (113 Takt S2) - Lead and supported multiple Junior Designers while delivering across multiple timelines, including speed and pick-and-buy - I clear aim in this role was not only to act on the most current Licenses but to push the team to be industry leading in this area. - Applied strong jersey product knowledge (quality, fabrication, trims) as well as collaborated closely with print and pattern.

Working with the design team, helping with sketches, mock ups and technical flat drawings, Final visuals and embroidery. Also helping in fittings with Mary leading up to the show. I also helped Dress the models at Mary’s London fashion week show; I feel I now have a real understanding of how A high-end design company works.

6 months internship in Great Plains design team, conducting Photoshop and illustrator tasks, Helping out in fit meetings, conducting lap dips, fabric sourcing and assisting the Design team. I have also drawn and designed a number of prints that have been put into production For SS18 as well as helping out the production and French connection menswear teams with general Tasks such as raising POs and dressing for shows.

Working with the Women’s wear design team, helping with the Spring/Summer 2014 collection. I helped with all general tasks, as well as completing a mini women’s wear collection myself that received great feedback.