Ayana Patterson

About Ayana Patterson

I\'m a design leader with 20 years mastering the intersection of luxury product design and manufacturing, creating collections that balance beauty with high business impact.I\'ve designed tableware for Georg Jensen (still in their collection), served as Principal Designer for luxury brands, created collaborations for West Elm including Pierce and Ward and Marcus Samuelson. I also led $20M+ product development at Ralph Lauren, and currently manage $70M+ portfolios at Target.I elevate design teams to balance creativity with business reality, mentor emerging talent, and establish systems that scale without sacrificing quality.I specialize in: • Design team leadership and development • Strategic portfolio management ($70M+ annual responsibility) • Cross-functional collaboration (35+ member teams) • Process innovation and operational excellence • Luxury and mass market product strategy • Value EngineeringI\'m exploring design leadership opportunities where I can build organizations, shape strategic vision, and create lasting impact.Let\'s connect!

Experience

1. Senior Designer

   Target

   Sep 2024 — Present

   Lead design strategy for product portfolios representing $70M+ in annual revenue while building and mentoring cross-functional teams.•Facilitated collaboration across 20+ cross-functional team members to launch 60+ new products bi-monthly•Selected to lead strategic process innovation initiative based on design expertise and leadership capabilities •Develop multi-brand strategies including Room Essentials and elevated the Threshold brand•Mentor designers, developing capabilities in strategic thinking, aesthetic execution and designing for retail •Facilitate collaboration across 20+ cross-functional team members to launch 60+ new products bi-monthly•Present design strategies to senior leadership, securing alignment on vision and business objectives

Education

• Syracuse University

  Bachelors of Industrial Design, Industrial Design

  2001 — 2006

• Syracuse University

  Minor, Fashion Design

  2002 — 2006

Skills

• Graphic Design
• Branding & Identity
• Concept Development
• Logo Design
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Apparel
• Model Making
• Adobe Illustrator
• Trend Analysis
• Public Speaking
• Illustration
• Product Development
• Indesign
• Product Design
• Sketching
• Industrial Design
• Microsoft Office
• Illustrator
• Tech Packs
• Photoshop
• Creative Direction