Experience

 

Nam is a well-experienced, exceptional apparel designer with versatile graphics abilities. 

I started my career interning for the founder of Triple 5 Soul when the company consisted of just her and her partner. In 5 short years, the company grew to a $180 million business. During that time I helped pioneer streetwear and nurture the company by being the primary creative force behind the brand. The knowledge and experience that I gained from being a crucial part of the evolution of a humble start-up into a structured corporation are beyond value. It has equipped me with the ability to create entire collections from the design of cut and sew to developing trims to graphics as well as all follow through in the production stage. After leaving Triple 5 to venture into other design opportunities, I continued to cultivate and grow my capacity by applying my knowledge to other innovative s companies.

Triple 5 Soul Inc. - Design Director 2008-2012

  • Started as an intern, working for free for 2 years while attending FIT. I designed the entire collection while interning.
  • As the only designer, I designed the collection for 3 years before hiring our first employee to take on the women's collection.
  • Senior Designer, responsible for the strategic planning, design, development, operations management, and production from its origins of me being the company's sole employee to international success at its peak in 2010.
  • Designed and developed entire men's and women’s collections including apparel, accessories, and graphic t-shirts.
  • Designed and developed a full range of backpacks, shoulder bags, fanny packs, and small accessories bags. 
  • Directed design team for the men’s, women’s, and accessory divisions. 
  • Restructured the design division by implementing procedures to control costs and ensure margins. This resulted in the turnaround of an unprofitable accessory and women’s line division. After 2 years these divisions became the main profit center for the organization.
  • After 2 years of producing domestically, relocated all local manufacturing to China and maintained excellent business relationships with major manufacturers, which allowed our organization to obtain cost-effective pricing and specific cycle time requirements. 
  • Provided oversight of product manufacturing ensuring that every detail, from fabric and trim selection up to editing, was strictly examined to ensure the perfect fit of garments and high-quality finished product.

Subscript - Director, Co-Owner 2012-2016

  • The owner of Triple 5 Soul asked me to partner with him on a new brand that I would create and be responsible for the product development of. I called it Subscript and I designed it alone for 4 years. We used all the other departments of Triple 5 Soul to manage the sales, marketing, production, and distribution and achieved sales of $4 million at its peak. 
  • Responsible for all aspects of product development and creative direction including initial concept, line plan, development calendar, design, proto sample review, salesman sample review, fittings, and production sample review.
  • Maintained and managed all communication with and worked at the factory in china to develop lines and review samples each season.
  • Developed and coordinated all marketing projects including Lookbook, photo shoots, layout, ad campaign, and web identity.
  • Originated and managed the subsidiary of Triple 5 Soul Inc. Through effective marketing, sales, and operation management increased the company from a small operation to a major distributor.

 Freelance - Designer 2012-2018

  • Mark Ecko
  • Kid Robot
  • Evisu
  • Dickies
  • Phat Farm
  • The Roots
  • Thrasher
  • Tribal Streetwear
  • Many smaller brands and start-ups

Coat of Arms - Founder, Owner, Designer, All Operations 2018-2022

  • I started a technical outerwear and accessories company called Coat of Arms. 
  • Designed, sampled, and produced full collections for Fall, Holiday, Spring, and Summer deliveries. 
  • Worked closely with and spent a lot of time at the factory to ensure the designs were executed properly. 
  • Created all content for the brand including seasonal lookbooks, website, product photos, lifestyle photos, video content, IG FB ad content, and social media content.
  • Attended and presented at menswear and outdoor industry trade shows in many major cities including NY, LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Tokyo, Milan, and Munich. 
  • Worked with sales reps from showrooms I hired to present and sell to buyers. 
  • Worked with fulfillment companies to handle distribution.

Education - Fashion Institute of Technology BFA