Santiago Giraldo
Art Director and Graphic designer with experience in bringing together photography, styling, typography, illustration, marketing and production in the fashion, home and retail industry. Possess entrepreneurial insight, market knowledge, artistic skills, leadership and experience of local and global retail brands to produce innovative, rich-content and marketable design strategies. 
Clients include: Levi Strauss & Co., Cost Plus World Market, Roost Co. Furnishings, Lucky Brand, Old Navy, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aerópostale, Americanino Jeans, Arturo Calle Menswear, Gymboree, Tea Collection.

 Art Director  
Serena & Lily. - Sausalito, CA - November 2014 to Present

  • Description TK

Digital Art Director 
Levi Strauss & Co. - San Francisco, CA - June 2014 to October 2014

  • Design seasonal eCommerce stories for Levi.com, Levi's® Skate and Levi's® Made & Crafted™ lines.

  • Brief and review external agencies work to ensure on-brand communication in all deliverables across all channels.

  • Collaborate with copywriting and marketing teams to concept and execute visually-compelling and strong content stories for a global audience.

  • Manage the eCommerce design workflow and presented seasonal campaigns to the SVP of Marketing and the Brand Creative Director.

  • Research trends and new directions in design and user experience.

  • Provide design direction to in-house junior designer.


Photo Art Director & Design Consultant
Roost - Sausalito, CA - May 2012 to June 2014

  • Develop strategies and constant rapport with merchants and designers to ensure all details of products were accurate and SKUS were all accounted for each shooting.

  • Leading and inspiring all team members and ensuring everyone remained focused and motivated.

  • Overseeing and approving color corrections and print proofs.

  • Presenting set concept designs, backgrounds, flats, composition, light and design layouts to the owner of the company.
     

Senior Graphic Designer
Abercrombie & Fitch - Columbus, OH - April 2007 to May 2009

  • Coordinated Gilly Hicks' conceptual heritage and graphic direction to ensure brand-appropriate design.

  • Managed and mentored team of designers and illustrators to produce seasonal collections from concept to execution to delivery of technical specs for manufacturing.

  • Designed graphics and created original illustrations, appliqué and embroidery for t-shirts, fleece tops & bottoms.

  • Efficiently managed projects with merchants, cross-functional creative teams and production vendors.

  • Collaborated with both internal production and outside manufacturing teams to establish efficient and accurate step-by-step production procedures.


Art Director & Founder
Skaen Clothing - Oakland, CA - January 2001 to April 2007

  • Responsible for the brand's strategy, inspiration, trend research, artwork and graphics.

  • Sourced raw materials and specified fabrics, threads and construction.

  • Managed multiple projects with web designers and programmers.

  • Established business with sales agents, showrooms and specialty retailers.

  • Opened and managed 40+ accounts, such as Nordstrom's, Fred Segal, American Rag and Urban Outfitters UK and high-end boutiques across USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Spain and Australia.


Graphic Designer - Consultant
Old Navy - San Francisco, CA - January 2006 to September 2006

  • Partnered with design director to create cohesive concept stories.

  • Designed apparel graphics, all-over prints, patches and appliqués.

  • Managed in-house illustrator.


Graphic Designer
Blue Marlin - San Francisco, CA - April 2005 to January 2006 March 2004 - Nov. 2004

  • Responsible for the Blue Marlin graphics collection from concept to art execution to delivery of technical call-outs for production.

  • Created inspiration mood boards and researched historic styles to establish authentic vintage

  • seasonal concepts, color stories and techniques.
     

Graphic Designer
Cabra Diseño - San Francisco, CA - September 1999 to July 2001

  • Developed and designed broad range of online and printed projects from conception to launch.

  • Designed visual languages for advertising campaigns, marketing collateral, annual reports, books, magazines, packaging and enviromental graphics.

  • Established excellent client relations with account executives and outside agencies.

  • Designed and typeset editorial content and oversaw printing production.

  • Reviewed and made call-outs for production on mechanicals and traveled to oversee press checks.
     

Graphic Designer
Young & Rubicam - March 1997 to July 1999

  • Designed projects from concept to print, including advertising campaigns, packaging, posters and POP displays.

  • Managed a small team of assistant designers, illustrators, production artists, and interns.
     

Assistant Graphic Designer
McCann-Erickson - January 1995 to February 1997

  • Designed and adapted branding graphic guidelines for corporate identity projects and marketing collateral.


EDUCATION
BFA in Graphic Design
Pontificia Bolivariana University
1990 to 1995