Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/899491
22 • Textile Insight ~ November/December 2017 textileinsight.com a Senior Industrial Designer for Priority Designs with a specialty in sporting/soft-goods design, and served as an Industrial Designer at Össur, a world-leader in bionic and other high-tech prosthetic devices. Past clients include: Target Brands, Wal-Mart, Fischer-Price, Mattel, Disney, Nike, Rawlings, Mead, Motorola, Medtronic, IDEO and Baxter. A design direction I'd like to explore (further) is: Practical applications for wearable technolo- gies. Though I'm already deep into several projects, the need for continued exploration of hardware/software/apparel integration will only expand in the near future. A fabric I'm obsessed with right now is: Any seamless knit/body mapped fabric, and how to apply these technologies to our core customer in the right way. Comfort is king! My fondest clothing memory from childhood is: I never imagined I'd be applying my skill set to apparel, so I wasn't thinking much about clothing at the time. I guess my old Cleveland Indians starter jacket (does that give away my age?). My tech essential is: My satellite messenger while in the backcountry (not so much for me, but for my family's piece of mind). I define "performance" as: A specific (often outstanding) feature set, implemented through a focused effort, based on the function(s) a product was designed for. A bit literal, but I like the clear goal this definition provides (for apparel, it's essentially a value add, to enhance/prolong an activity). A product design I'm most proud of is: The Q-Collar. Though I've worked on several mili- tary/medical textiles, the most promising has to be this device, (for concussion/traumatic brain injury prevention), www.q30innovations. com. It has potential for use across multiple industries, including my current one; outdoor products. I can't work unless I have: Key partners, stakeholder support and a sustainable (eco) initiative. Oh, and coffee, lots of coffee. My design pet peeve is: Designing without purpose. Making stuff just for the simple logic of retail gap-filling, but without actual consideration of the customer's true needs within that category. Do it to the best of your brand's intellectual abilities or don't do it at all. A textile I wish I had invented is: Synthetic fleece. Hindsight is 20/20, but if given the opportunity to go back to square one, and rethink ways in which to control the massive amount of plastic microfiber content that has now made its way into our environment (via better con- struction, raw materials, or brush methods), while still retaining that coveted thermal value, most of us would jump at the chance. Luckily new products are helping to slow (or even, eventually eliminate) harmful fibers from entering our ecosystems. Laundering solutions, better quality fabrics from reputable brands, and natural/biodegradable fibers are all going to continue bringing awareness to the marketplace. This is how I describe my creative process in 10 words or less: Organized chaos—uncovering abstract solutions by connecting appropriate industry partners. My best ideas derive from: Usually a day in the woods or on the water, but generally anything that takes my focus from the day-to-day, and more toward helping the brand (and, bigger picture - the industry) as a whole. My favorite city in the world to shop is: Reykjavik, as it's amazing what clever solutions they come up with for staying warm in cold weather (products which make up the lion's share of my current company's business). The book currently on my nightstand is: The Black Swan (no, not the ballet movie) by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. All about preparing for the unexpected. Retail is full of surprises, and it's the way we navigate these inevitable challenges (in my opinion, through newness, reputation, and innovation), that help brands survive turbulent times. JESSICA HEMMER Founder, Creative Director Hemmer Design, LLC Hemmer has built a career designing for companies including Woolrich, Under Armour, and Bemis. Her experience in advanced construction techniques such as sew-free and bond- ing have put her on the cutting edge of modern technical apparel. A design direction I'd like to explore is: Minimalism, Local Manufacturing, and Advanced Manufacturing My fondest clothing memory from childhood is: Any time I got to "borrow" (read as "wear without asking") my older sister's clothes. She is two years older than me and I remember being in love with specific outfits of hers that I just was not allowed to touch… that is unless she wasn't home. My tech essential is: My iPhone… specifically having access to my email 24/7 (blessing and a curse). I define "good performance" as: Intuitive, simple, clean, efficient, and problem solving. A design I'm most proud of is: The work I did with Bemis Associates to develop and lead their internal Design Services Team I can't work unless I have / I work best when I have: Clear direction (even if self created), a "to do" list, an organized desktop, good music, good coffee and time. This is how I describe my creative process in 10 words or less: Solution focused research based collaborative exploration. My best ideas derive from: Experience with a product, research, asking questions, collabo- ration, and quiet time to contemplate/ideate. My favorite city in the world to shop is: New York City. The book(s) currently on my nightstand are: The Golden Rule in Business by Arthur Nash Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Rilke Design is a Job by Mike Montiero Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Design for People by Scot Stowell Design: The Invention of Desire by Jessica Helfand The Cincinnati Anthology JOEL ALARCON Vice President, GMM, Consumer Division 5.11 Alarcon is focused on cre- ating innovative products and growing the 5.11 busi- ness. He has worked with 5.11 since 2010, climbing the ranks from director of merchandising (foot- wear) to his current role. He previously spent nine years at PUMA North America, most recently as director of merchandising, RMM (wholesale footwear). A design direction I'd like to explore is: Athletic meets military. My fondest clothing memory from childhood is: It was snowing and I didn't have snow boots so my mom made me put grocery bags over my socks then into my sneakers. My tech essential is: Good headphones. I define "performance" as: Continually meeting the needs of the end user. My design pet peeve is: When it's clear that the shoelaces were an afterthought. I can't work unless I have: Music and coffee. A textile I wish I had invented is: Stretch denim. This is how I describe my creative process in 10 words or less: Research, shop, plan, mer- chandise then brief. My best ideas derive from: Watching people at the airport. My favorite city in the world to shop is: Any Outlet mall I come across. The book currently on my nightstand is: One Summer: America, 1927. 2 0 7 1 THE TRENDSETTERS