Portfolio Work 2013: Resume (Cover Letter) Erin M. Chros towski
Fa s h i o n D e s i g n - P r o d u c t D e v e l o p m e n t 517 9 O r e g o n i a R d O r e g o n i a , O H 4 5 0 5 4 Email: chros tem@mail.uc.edu C o n ta c t : 513 . 2 8 4 . 0 4 6 4
Reebok International 1895 JW Foster Blvd. Canton, MA 02021 To Whom It May Concern: My name is Erin Chrostowski. I am a third-year Fashion Design student, participating in the DAAP program at the University of Cincinnati. Before anything, I would like to say that I have waited for the chance to be able to work with your company! I would love to be a part of the Reebok design team for the Summer Semester of 2013. Since my very first exploration of career opportunities within the fashion design realm, I knew that I wanted to design athletic wear. My life, and the lives of my family members, have been changed by athletic wear and the world of fitness. I’d like to tell you my story, because it is the reason why I am so passionate about athletic wear design. I am the older sister to a wonderful kid. His name is David, and his story is a constant source of pride for me and my family. During the past few years, David has battled (and won his battle) with obesity, a problem that tormented him throughout his childhood. During the eighth grade, David topped the scales at about 220 pounds- and he was only 5’6”. I saw his unhappiness. His self-consciousness about his body. I knew his weight was affecting his social life. I saw the pain in his eyes when we went to on vacations, and he was too uncomfortable to take his shirt off at the beach. I saw how frustrated he was. David’s first love in life is baseball. His freshman year in high-school, he got cut from the baseball team for being “too slow”. Once again, his weight held him back, and he was devastated. My family felt helpless. We decided that something had to be done. So, soon after tryouts, My mother and I took David to the local mall and got him his first pair of running shoes. Now, I am a distance runner, and I absolutely love it, so I sat David down and told him, “Whenever I run, you run. Do you want to do that?” And he said, “yes, I do.” Since that day, we have become running buddies. A day doesn’t go by, when we don’t ground out at least 7 miles. David has dropped over 70 pounds, and he is currently on his high school baseball team, as a junior. He is starting to get college recruitment recognition! Seeing older pictures of him is like looking at a stranger- so different from the tall, athletic kid who runs with me today. I am so proud. I am indebted to athletic wear, because it has the power to change people for the better. A single pair of running shoes changed David’s life- and mine. Regards, Erin Chrostowski
Portfolio Work 2013: Resume Erin M. Chrostowski chrostem@mail.uc.edu
5179 Oregonia Road Oregonia, Ohio 45054
Available: Fall 2012, Summer 2013 (c) 513-284-0464 (h) 513-933-9919
Education
Ach i e v e m e n t s
2010 to present - University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Fashion Design, Design Track
College Cincinnatus Scholarship Dean’s List 2012 U.C. Finalist - CFDA Design Competition U.C. Finalist- Ohio State University Fashion Show
2007 to 2010 - Lebanon High School Lebanon, Ohio Graduated with honors - May 2010
Experience
Interests
Design development team
College Sewing and tailoring Various community service projects Competitive distance running Future Business Leaders of America
2012- Chica Bands, LLC - Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.chicabands.com Duties - spearhead design production and trend forecasting for running accessories and running apparel for the Chica SportŠ Apparel and accessories line. To create Tech packs for manufacturers. to create samples for production and fittings. To edit and create advertising and website graphics. Worked with Indesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop daily.
Design Assistant
2012 - Althea Harper LLC - New York City, New York http://www.althea@altheaharper.com Duties - To design and construct various high-fashion garments for Althea Harper s/s 2013, Sitella s/s 2013, as well as performing various business aspects that the fashion world involves - creating tech packs, dyeing garments, drawing flat sketches, and fabric sourcing for factory fabric use.
Sales Associate 2010 - Coach - Cincinnati Premium Outlets - Monroe, Ohio http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/ Duties - To provide excellent customer service while encouraging potential sales possibilities. To handle all monetary exchanges between the customer and the company. To establish positive relationships between all customers and Coach as a company.
Skills Sewing and Tailoring Pattern Making Fashion Illustration Embroidery Skills Adobe Creative Suite- Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc. Microsoft Office Suite Strong Drawing Skills Strong Communicator - written and oral Strong Work Ethic Retail Experience Detail-Oriented
Portfolio www. issuu.com/ecrossdesigns
Portfolio Work 2013: CFDA Design 2012
color palette
Fa n ta s y Fa s h i o n : D e g e n e r a t e G o t h i k a
W o m e n s w e a r A . W. 2 013
Portfolio Work 2013
Inspiration: Shahira Hammad
Portfolio Work 2013
G
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The architecture of Shahira Hammad mimics the dark, chaotic rhythms that natural forms create. Her work balances the effects of light and shadow in order to create a flowing, dramatic juxtaposition of soft and harsh angles. This creates an overall mood that is reminiscent of a fantasy-esque woodland at night-time, where mysterious and unknowable dangers lurk, unseen, but felt. This macabre elegance appeals to my own personal design aesthetic, which often relies on similar drama and intrigue. The bone-like structures that make up Hammad’s designs are both eerie and attractive. It is difficult to decide if the designs are off-putting or not, and that draws the viewer’s eye, allowing him or her to take time in exploring and analyzing the piece. These pieces are truly unique, and they inspire me as a designer.
Fi n a l R e n d e r i n g / P r e s e n ta t i o n
Architectur al Design
Portfolio Work 2013
“We are an attainable, luxury lifestyle brand defined by classic American sportswear with an eclectic sensibility. We are high fashion without the price tag. We are classic, yet modern. We love to sprinkle in bright pops of color. We respresent every stylish woman.”
S.S. 2014
Bright Earth
Runway Result
Result: The American classic “Aviator” frame is industrialized with an upcycled aesthetic. Frames are simplified by chunky wood materials and sleek acetate insets. Result is graphic, bold, and economical.
B y r o T e h -T
d n a r B h c ur Wood and Enamel Ball Hinge
Graphic and Bright Geo-Print
White Enamel Brand Plate
To o l s U s e d : A d o b e I l l u s t r a t o r , K a l e d o P r i n t
Sunglass Concept Project
Portfolio Work 2013: NIke Frost Concept Project
N I K E F RO S T:
AN EXTREME COLD WEATHER RUNNING SHOE
WINTER RUNNING WITHOUT NIKE FROST?
MIGHT AS WELL BE NAKED.
Brand Diffusion Line
Portfolio Work 2013
Ly d i a L a c e B l o u s e
Portfolio Work 2013
Carmen (Red) Gown
Portfolio Work 2013: Sittella Apparel Line 2012
For Althea Harper’s Sittella collection, natural lines, comfortable fit, and purity of fabric were the inspiration. This collection featured organic bamboo wovens and jersey knits, as well as 100% organic silk chiffon. The results were beautiful, easy-going pieces with a bodyconscious fit and styling. Design challenges: Costing, sourcing natural fabrics, manufacturer communication, meeting a tight timeline and deadline.
Althea Harper Design
Portfolio Work 2013: Trend Forecast 2014
BIOPUNK: BIRTH OF THE TRANS-HUMAN
As our future becomes progressively more entwined with technology, our concept of perfection, beauty, and the human standard is morphing into a view tempered by the concept of the “ideal machine.” A figurative “marrying” of technology and biology has permeated the culture of most industrialized countries for years, so the idea of “man and machine” is fairly common. However, people are beginning to take the concept of this technological merge more literally- new social drivers, like the Bio-Punk movement, have begun to appear in various subcultures across both hemispheres. The Bio-Punk movement, a frankenstein-esque body hacking trend, has taken hold among forward-thinking individuals who wish to enhance both mind and body through implanted technologies. Bio-punks (also known as grinders, bio-hackers, and sliders) have only one thing in mind: the elevation of the human body. Basement laboratories perform minimally invasive surgeries, where magnets and sensors are slipped in between layers of the derma to promote more efficient synapse responses within the central nervous system and brain. The mad scientist is the new hobbyist. Wooden car sculptures and stamp collections have been replaced with sanitizing drums and beginner-level suturing kits. Cell phone apps now monitor blood pressure, respiration, blood-oxygen levels, and almost every other bodily phenomena, so it becomes a matter of minutes to transform a spare bedroom into an informal operating room. With unlimited access such all-encompassing, futuristic technologies, we are becoming a generation of numbers, facts, figures, and data. We are rebuilding ourselves. We are [literally] the new machine.
THE INITIATOR
Dave Asprey, a business man turned bio-hacker, has been considered the “father” of the bio-hacking movement since the early 1990’s, and he shows no signs of letting his title go anytime soon. Asprey introduces cutting-edge methodoloy and technology as it become available to him, passing down new and improved methods of biological transmutation to his massive fan base through his website, “The Bulletproof Executive.”
THE FACILITATOR
Scanadu, a leading technology-development company, has introduced The Scanadu Scout, which monitors the body’s vital signs with a smartphone and digital sensors. This device has already become wildly popular as a vital part of all bio-hacking labs because it is a cost-effective way to monitor vital signs during operations, in a similar fashion to an actual surgical ward.
THE HUMANITARIAN
Do-it-yourself biologists are moving in a singular direction, combining the underground grit of the at-home laboratory with genetic research in order to find cures for previously incurable genetic conditions. One frontrunner, scientist Hugh Rienhoff, hopes to utilize bio-hacking as a way to explore possible cures for his disabled daughter’s own genetic mutation, without the restrictions of a formal laboratory.
reebok
2 013 S . T. Y. L . E . My style aesthetic is focused on the beauty of line, geometry, and motion. My designs are generally very graphic, with a definite perspective point and converging line or shape. I am attracted to designs that look fast. When I see a garment that looks like it could beat me in a footrace, I tip my hat to whoever designed it, because, in athleticwear, speed is a beautiful thing. By creating pieces that look graphic or have a linear aspect, I feel as though I can help someone feel like they are better, faster, stronger, and leaner. By focusing on proportion, I can concentrate on the human body and how it reacts as an object in motion.
Concept: Womenswear Pre-Fall 2014: LineaReaction
LINEA R
Inspired by the smooth geometry of a well-oiled machine, LineaReaction magnifies the line-based elements that prevail in technological design. In many of my designs, grid creates pattern and pattern creates shape, which is a key component within this womens running-wear concept collection for the late Summer and Fall seasons of 2014.
EA
Graphic seam finishes and pattern piecing create a sleek running look for the athlete who is concerned with trend and appearance, as well as wanting overall garment function.
C
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Concept: Color Palette: LineaReaction White Light
Going Grey
Neutral Line
L a s e r Ve r i d i a n
Ve r t - i c a l
Sky Prism
W a t e r ’s E d g e
Cobaltic
Amethyst Shard
CrystaLilac
LineaReaction: Concept Apparel Ideation
LineaReaction: Concept Rendering/ Flatwork
Print placement changed in flats, from original hand rendering. Overall look was more balanced.
Notes: Stretch Stitch on all borders, overlock stitch joining pattern pieces. Knit ribbed support band across ribcage. Mesh insets on bust panel and back panel of bra, for wicking and breathability.
LineaReaction: Concept Rendering/ Flatwork
Print placement changed in flats, from original hand rendering. Overall look was more balanced.
Notes: Stretch Stitch on all borders, overlock stitch joining pattern pieces. Knit ribbed support band across ribcage. Mesh insets on bust panel and back panel of bra, for wicking and breathability.