PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

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HEEKYUN KIM
DESIGN DIRECTOR | CREATIVE DIRECTION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

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25+ years of experience in luxury fashion, menswear, outerwear, knitwear, sportswear, and performance apparel. extensive expertise in seasonal collection direction, product development, material innovation, and international manufacturing. Proven leadership in managing design teams, collaborating across global markets, and translating brand heritage into commercially relevant collections.

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WOOLRICH

Creative Design Director | August 2025 – May 2026
Shanghai, China
Menswear, Womenswear & Accessories

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• Directed seasonal creative strategy and collection development across menswear, womenswear, and accessories, aligning design direction with brand heritage and commercial objectives.

• Led and mentored a 12-member design team, overseeing seasonal concepts, product development, and execution across categories.

• Directed the FW26 collection, including outerwear, knitwear, and sweaters, guiding silhouettes, materials, construction, fit, and product approvals.

• Collaborated with Italian and Japanese partners to align global design direction, product development, and regional brand positioning.

• Curated archival Woolrich garments for Beijing pop-up stores and contributed to brand storytelling, fashion shows, and special collaborations.​

 

RALPH LAUREN

Design Lead (Director) | June 2018 – March 2023
New York, NY
Purple Label Outerwear, Swimwear & Headwear | RLX Outerwear & Roughwear

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• Led seasonal design direction and assortment planning across luxury and performance apparel, balancing iconic core products with innovative seasonal concepts.

• Partnered with merchandising, product development, and production teams to manage seasonal calendars, material research, and product execution.

• Worked directly with Italian factories on prototype reviews, garment construction, fabric development, and luxury craftsmanship.

• Mentored design talent and supported team development, hiring, and cross-functional collaboration.

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RALPH LAUREN

Senior Designer | August 2010 – June 2018
New York, NY
Purple Label Outerwear & Roughwear

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• Designed and developed luxury outerwear, translating seasonal concepts into refined silhouettes, technical specifications, and production-ready garments.

• Sourced and developed premium fabrics with Italian textile mills and collaborated with overseas factories on construction, fit, and product development.

• Partnered with merchandising and production teams on costing, markups, and quality standards.​

 

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

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G-III LEATHER FASHIONS — HALSTON
Product Development Manager (Freelance) | November 2024 – July 2025
Women's Dresses

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Managed technical product development, factory communication, specifications, 3D garment reviews, construction details, and sample approvals.

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AIMÉ LEON DORE
Design Consultant (Freelance) | November 2024 – December 2024
Men's Luxury Apparel

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Developed luxury menswear concepts, sketches, fabric and trim recommendations, and competitive research across tailored and casual categories.

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90 DEGREE BY REFLEX
Technical Designer | June 2024 – November 2024
Men's & Boys' Activewear, Knits & Trousers

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Directed technical fit evaluations, pattern corrections using OptiTex, grading approvals, and overseas factory coordination.

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EARLIER CAREER

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RALPH LAUREN — BLACK LABEL
Senior Designer | 2008 – 2010
Men's Outerwear & Roughwear

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DAVID CHU DESIGN — LINCS & DAVID CHU COLLECTION
Senior Designer | 2005 – 2008
Luxury Menswear & Sportswear

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RALPH LAUREN — POLO BLUE LABEL
Designer | 2003 – 2005
Men's Outerwear

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NAUTICA — COMPETITION
Designer | 2002 – 2003
Technical Outerwear & Knitwear

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NAUTICA — SPORTSWEAR
Associate Designer | 1999 – 2002
Men's Sportswear

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CORE EXPERTISE

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Creative & Product Direction
Seasonal Collection Direction · Luxury Menswear · Outerwear · Knitwear & Sweaters · Performance Apparel · Concept Development · Assortment Planning

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Design & Development
Fabric & Trim Innovation · Garment Construction · Technical Design · Fit & Prototype Reviews · Product Approval · Global Sourcing

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Leadership & Business
Design Team Leadership · Cross-Functional Collaboration · Vendor Management · Costing & Markup Review · International Product Development

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EDUCATION

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (FIT)
Associate Degree — Menswear Design & Marketing, 1999
Undergraduate Studies — Fashion Merchandising Management, 2001

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Harvard Kennedy School — Online Leadership Courses
Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles
Exercising Leadership: 4P Model for Strategic Leadership

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TECHNICAL SKILLS

Adobe Illustrator · Photoshop · InDesign · XD · WebPDM · Flex PLM · OptiTex · Pointcarre · Figma · Airtable · Microsoft Office · Technical Illustration

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Language: Fluent in Korean