A highly skilled and creative fashion designer with 15+ years of experience working across Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and London specializing in women’s Haute Couture, Luxury RTW, Fur and Bridal collections with a strong understanding of digital artwork design and surface techniques such as prints, hand painting, fabric manipulation and embroidery.
Los Angeles, USA 08.2023 – present • Create fashion illustrations, technical renderings, and specifications for collections and production. • Design and develop print and embroidery artwork for collections and production. • Design consultant for fashion brands and apparel companies. Advise on business plans, investment proposals, and budgets. London, UK 08.2021 to 07.2023 • Freelance Design Illustrator and Artworker. • Design custom-made garments for special clients internationally, www.joannecorderoreyes.com - Responsible for the researching of trends and the sourcing of fabrics, trims, and notions. - Hand-sketch and digitally design silhouettes, textiles, and embroidery artwork, and create sample surface techniques and garment finishing details. - Create patterns and oversee the production of samples and client orders within the factory and manage business and supplier activities.
Director for Surface Design & Development 09.2019 – 10.2020 Head of Artwork Design 11.2017 – 09.2019 Design Manager 11.2015 – 11.2017 •Promoted for determining an effective direction for the company on a strategic level •Responsible for a team of 10-18 across all aspects of design and development; building concept boards, directing the design, placement and development of print and textiles, embroidery, hand painting, and fabric manipulation for Haute Couture collections, Ready-to-Wear, luxury Sportswear, Client Orders, VIP, and Special Projects. •Collaborate with Creative Director, Tamara Ralph in design concepts for textiles, embroidery, and other surface treatments; bring forth ideas, creative research, and technical input in developing collections. •Work closely with the Head Pattern Cutter, Head of Atelier, Fabric & Embroidery Development Managers, and suppliers to ensure the accuracy of design materialization. •Conduct competitive market research to improve the quality of brand aesthetics. Travel to Europe and India for research and Paris for show presentations. •Create a critical path with Collection Manager and strategize work capacity to meet target dates. •Create sampling budgets and target production costs with Pricing Manager for Development Managers and oversee the design development within budget. •Develop department re-structure plan and departmental budget to increase productivity, train and improve skill development of the team, implement QC measures, and established strategic and cost-effective processes.
Collaborate with Maria Grachvogel on design, concept, pattern making, creative and technical aspects for Ready-to-Wear and Bridal collections. Research, sketch and design ideas for garments, accessories, and embellishments, and create a style range board for the collection. Responsible for draping ideas and supervising the construction of patterns, garments, and sampling process. •Collaborate with sales merchandising, production development, special client orders and projects. •Responsible for a team of 6-8; led design studio in the creation of first samples and into production. •Assist Maria in model castings, the creative aspects of the presentation, styling of looks, and collection preparation for runway shows.
Head Designer for Luxury Ready-to-Wear and Bridal collections, VIP and Client Orders and Fur Licensee Collections. Collaborate with Creative Director on design concepts, bringing forth ideas and inspiration through extensive competitor and market research. Create mood boards, and establish fashion silhouettes, fabric, and colour palettes for the collection. Design and visualize ideas through sketching, draping, and various other forms of execution. Design surface treatments, embroidery, and surface technique materialization for collections. Oversee the launch of fabric embellishments and embroidery placements with suppliers. •International travel sourcing to analyse trends, research and source fabric and trim development. •Collaborate on the designing of shoes, sunglasses, gloves and other forms of accessory development and special projects. Design and oversee the development and execution of collection fur garments and fur license collections. Development of technical flat sketches for spec sheets and costings via Orli-web. •Collaborate in model castings and styling of looks, music selection, and collection preparation for runway shows. •Oversee and supervise the sample studio in the execution of collection sample developments and supervise the fit quality of samples. •Liaison between the execution of first samples and presentation of the collection with sales, merchandising, and press & marketing and production development.
Direct design and development for Luxury Ready-to-Wear, Client Orders and Special Projects. •Sold to 15 locations internationally. Brand recognition in 2008 as Top Designer to Watch by New York Magazine, Style.com and South China Morning Post. •Create mood boards, and establish fashion silhouettes, fabric, and colour palettes for the collection. Responsible for sketching designs, draping, and designing surface treatments, and technique materialization for collections. Travel research and sourcing in Europe and Asia for collections and private custom clientele. Liaison between the execution of first sample prototypes to sales and merchandising, public relations, and production. Managed and led the design sample room for the execution of collections and production delivery and supervise the quality of fit samples into production. •Collaborate in model castings and styling of looks, and collection preparation for runway shows. •Managed business and supplier activities and relations, company budgets, costs, press and sales targets with agents. •Collaborate on presentations to sales and merchandising, buyers, and production departments in collaboration with market and consumer requirements.
Head Designer for Luxury Ready-to-Wear and Bridal collections. Collaborate with Creative Director, Monique Lhuillier on design concepts, bringing forth ideas and inspiration through extensive competitor and market research. Create mood boards, and establish fashion silhouettes, fabric, and colour palettes for the collection. Design and visualize ideas through sketching, draping, and various other forms of execution. •Analyse trends, source, and select fabrics, embroidery, trims, and notions, and design embroidery and fabric manipulation and placements. Create illustrations for VIP and special projects. •Oversee and manage the design team and training of assistant-level designers. •Oversee and lead the sample studio for efficiency and in the execution of collection sample developments and supervise the quality of fit samples and embroidery placements with suppliers. •Liaison with the production manager for the production. •Collaborate in model castings and styling of looks, and collection preparation for runway shows.
Lead Designer for Luxury Ready-to-Wear, Bridal, and Fur Collections, and VIP and Client Orders. •Research and collaborate with Head Designer, Gilles Mendel on mood and trend boards, establishing silhouette, and fabric and colour palettes. Design and create illustrations for collections, VIPs, clients, and special projects. Design surface treatments and embroidery; create ideas through draping and creation of technical swatches and patterns. Research, source, and select fabric, embroidery, trims and notions and liaison with embroidery suppliers and textile mills for surface design development. Responsible for the artwork design placement for embroidery and surface treatments. •Managed design team and training of assistant designers and interns and execution of the collection. Supervise first sample developments and fittings of samples into collection and production. Development of technical flat sketches and Top of Production manual of collection: sketch and render, flat and spec each garment including specific details for production including the record of materials, costs, and changes of garments for production in Hong Kong and New York. •International travel sourcing to analyse trends, research and source fabric and trim development. •Work closely with Sales Merchandising and Production department to ensure fit and quality into production and collaborate with press and marketing for VIP and special projects.
It is a pleasure for me to write this recommendation in support of Joanne Cordero Reyes. Within the fashion community, Joanne is recognized as a creative talent, known for her passion, excellent work ethic, and excitement for increasing her knowledge of the design & fashion world. She pushes the boundaries of conventional design through various techniques of draping and sketching. Her encouragement, motivation, and mentorship for new ideas in this fast-paced environment is impressive and captivating. Her professional attitude, knowledge, and open-minded approach to creativity make me feel confident that Joanne would be an ideal candidate to join any fashion house and team.
It was a pleasure to work with Joanne at Ralph and Russo. Joanne is one of the most hard working professionals I have met in my career but also one who is kind and compassionate to her colleagues. Our friendship continues to this day as she always checks in with me and supports me which should show any future employer that they would be lucky to have someone as talented and considerate within their company.