Ammar Belal 324 West 43rd St. Apt. 2D, New York, NY 10036, Cell: (917) 982-5678 | ammar@ammarbelal.com Being a part of the fashion industry for 12 years has given me a variety of experience in multiple areas of the business while growing up in 3 different cities (Lahore, Boston, Geneva) has nurtured my ability to enjoy new, challenging opportunities and expand my vision in a cross-cultural atmosphere.
Work Experience Parsons, The New School for Design Part Time Faculty (B.F.A Fashion, B.B.A Design & MGMT) •
Jan 2015 - Present
“Integrated Thesis Studio 5-6” is at the core of the BFA Fashion - senior year curriculum & culminates in a runway collection along with an extensive portfolio that creatively curates the processes leading to it.
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“Fashion & Culture” investigates art/fashion history through a cross cultural and socio – political lens.
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“Managing Creative Teams” is a practical exercise in simulating group work dynamics in design environments.
Parsons MFA Show - Milk Studios, S/S 15 New York Fashion Week Thesis Collection Presentation
Sep 2014
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Showed 12 looks from the Thesis Collection “1432” at Milk Studios, part of New York Fashion Week S/S 15.
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Full Collection review and ramp images on Style.com, Vogue.co.uk and nymag.com.
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Chosen as the key student speaker/representative (MFA Fashion Design) for graduation day at Parsons.
3.1 Phillip Lim – New York Print & Embroidery Design (MFA Internship)
Jun 2013 - Sep 2013
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Researched and worked on digital print artworks for the S/S 14 collection.
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Designed and developed hand embroidery/beading samples for the S/S 14 collection.
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Created tech packs and communicated with overseas vendors/manufacturers for product development.
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Assisted during casting calls, styling process, and backstage for the S/S 14 Fashion Show.
Dodo (Pomellato) – New York Sep 2012 - Dec 2012 Design & Marketing Consultant Team (Masters Project - Columbia Business School & Parsons) •
Designed a special capsule collection along with slogans, packaging details and inspirational storylines for the New York Madison Avenue store.
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Developed a full marketing plan and promotional strategy for the collection launch in New York.
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Presented the detailed full project to CEO as well as Creative Director of Dodo and was mentioned in WWD.
Veritas Pvt. Ltd. – Lahore, Pakistan Creative Director, Ammar Belal Collection •
Jan 2008 – Dec 2012
Raised $800,000 investment for launching Ammar Belal Menswear, Womenswear, & Accessories while expanding to 5 retail outlets in 4 cities in Pakistan. (3,000 sq. ft. Flagship Store)
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Managed supply chain and imports up to $300,000 while developing a sourcing matrix of 50 different vendors in Italy, Portugal, England, Turkey and China.
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Conceptualized & designed 2 full collections every year with sales reaching $675,000.
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Showcased collections in the Pakistan Fashion Week for 9 consecutive seasons.
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Directed a TV, print, billboard, & social media marketing budget of $200,000.
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Hosted a live show on City FM89 (national English radio reaching 30 million people) for 3 years as an expert on current fashion trends and interaction with nationwide callers.
ABCD Streetwear & AS Jeans – Lahore, Pakistan Senior Designer
Mar 2005 - Dec 2007
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Managed design & sampling department for mens/womens ready-to-wear collections.
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WWD article (Aug 16, 2007) on “AS Jeans: Pakistan’s Brand With A Customized Fit”.
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Oversaw collection production targets and planning of factory workflow of 2,500 units/month.
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Trained in merchandising exercises involving various costing and pricing models.
Sarahs Boutique – Lahore, Pakistan Sales Associate
Nov 2002 - Feb 2005
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Worked in womenswear Personal Shopping department and developed a loyal celebrity clientele.
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Worked in bespoke, custom tailoring section for menswear (suits & shirts) while handling fittings, alterations, fabric selection and sales.
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Trained as a visual merchandiser & optimized product displays by efficient shop floor utilization.
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Trained in Point of Sale software and used Inventory Management programs to formulate effective stock demands.
Selfridges & Co. – London, UK Press Office Merchandiser Assistant (Internship) •
Aug 2001 - Dec 2001
Assisted in selecting & sending the best of fashion apparel & accessories to various publications for press coverage and editorials.
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Researched, documented and organized all press coverage of Selfridges on a daily basis.
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Assisted in planning of various in store PR events & product launches. Elle Macpherson lingerie brand; “Intimates”, Victoria Beckham book; “Learning To Fly”.
Education Parsons, The New School of Design, NYC, New York
May 2014
Masters of Fine Arts - Fashion Design and Society
Clark University, Worcester, MA Bachelors of Arts – Business Management Major
Skills Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word | Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, Illustrator English (native), Urdu/Hindi (fluent), French (Conversational)
May 2002