Kyle Forsdick
Freelance Designer · Kyle Forsdick Design
Seattle, WA
In My Own Words
<p>Hey, I’m Kyle. I am a forward-thinking designer captivated by the intricacies of the athlete's journey and the untapped potential of the human body. Drawing on my diverse background in both traditional graphic design and product design, my creative endeavors delve into the convergence of product narrative, digital representation, and technical ingenuity. </p><p>I find fascination in the dynamic interplay between high-performance products, luxury fashion, and the vibrant tapestry of sports culture. Having attended the University of Oregon's Master's in Sports Product Design and with a background in athletics, I seamlessly integrate my passion for sports into my professional path. I am actively seeking opportunities to apply my expertise in product innovation, aiming to contribute compelling sports products to the global community of athletes. Over the past 10+ years, I’ve learned that helping brands establish personality through product marketing and product creation is a passion of mine.</p><p>If I’m not at the brewery, skiing, cycling, or hiking with my best pal Finn, you can find me in Seattle, WA.</p>
Work Experience
Freelance Designer
Kyle Forsdick Design2015 – Present
- Provide design services across digital, print, apparel, and softgoods for clients in the tech, retail, apparel, and medical space - Designed custom apparel, softgoods, layouts, and presentations using Adobe Suite and Blender; tailored to meet brand standards - Ensure 100% customer satisfaction by working closely with the client to conceive designs, finalize solutions, and meet deadlines - Client list includes: Mountain Hardware, Stanley PMI, Nike, The Squad Nation, AAA
Senior Designer
Headset Inc2022 – 2023
- Own the creative, visual direction, and production for marketing, web, and collateral for product segments, including research that aids in developing fresh creative ideas for advertising and promotional executions, learning new software and artistic techniques - Collaborate directly with the product segment team (marketing, sales, analytics, product, and engineering) in driving creative workflow needs and development for specific product segments leading to $2.9 million in sales - Participate in creative strategy meetings with the leadership to translate business strategy into creative concepts - Manage in-house and external creatives to inspire, develop and execute short-term and long-term creative strategies and assets - Operate cross-functionally with lead analytics, breaking down complex data analyses into simple, compelling ideas and highly-engaging designs - Lead photoshoots, pre-press reviews, and approvals
Designer
Headset Inc.2020 – 2022
- Directed Headset’s new product marketing materials, including web, email, social, presentations, and booth footprint design contributing to achieving 120% of audience engagement in Q4 2020 - Worked cross-functionally with sales, marketing, and senior leadership to identify new design opportunities and product solutions - Increased click-through rates by auditing and updating all public-facing materials with updated branding and messaging to improve website conversion rates and consumer behavior metrics by 35% during Q4 - Accelerated design process time by 20 hours per week by designing and curating a tool kit containing resources for co-branding partner initiatives - Collaborated with the analytics and product team to translate metrics into sharable and snackable social assets; increasing social engagement by 403% in Q1-Q3 2021 - Led photoshoots, pre-press reviews, and approvals
Sr. Designer
Square One Distribution2017 – 2018
- Operated as Creative Director for Radar Waterskis 2018 & 2019 seasonal product line resulting in $4 million in sales each year - Managed design on projects, product development schedules, and work-flows for rapidly changing timelines and multiple priorities and demands - Collaborated with the lead designer for Ronix 2016 & 2017 product line to establish brand consistency across 30+ products - Visited factories 3-4 times per year to work closely with the local product teams, clarifying design intention; and resolving development issues - Teamed up with adjacent departments to integrate new strategies, technologies, construction, and patterns to scale manufacturing by 35% annually - Prepared and reviewed 45+ tech packs per product season to hand off to manufacturing partners and maintain design consistency - Influenced product innovation and creative designs by researching global design trends by attending design trade shows annually - Constructed and presented design concepts bi-annually showcasing seasonal product lines to leadership, sales, and product distributors of 50+ European and US markets
Designer
Square One Distribution2015 – 2016
- Designed five waterskis and 12 life jackets designs for Radar Waterskis in the 2016 & 2017 seasonal product line utilizing Adobe Suite - Conceptualized with the lead designer to establish design uniformity across 30+ products for the 2016 & 2017 Ronix product line - Spent 10+ days a year in Asia visiting manufacturing partners to execute hands-on design direction and production - Established an excellent capacity to perform design skills such as typography, ideation, color theory, visual presentation, and layout - Facilitated two successful product line role outs for 2016 & 2017 by reinforcing cross-team collaboration and communication between designers, product managers, sales managers, and senior leadership
Education
Projects
Puma - Women's Football Trainingwear
https://kyleforsdick.com/puma-football-trainingwear-conceptThe challenge here is to design one outfit of performance training wear specifically for the female athlete. This is of growing importance and focus at Puma while using AC Milan as the club of focus. Styles to design: A 1/4 zip-top and training pant Things to consider: Training environment, weather, body movement, fabrication, club badge & sponsor.
Puma King Consumer Outfit
https://kyleforsdick.com/puma-football-trainingwear-conceptThe challenge here is to look at a modern contemporary approach to a legacy franchise. Puma King has been around since 1968 and is worn by the likes of Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Neymar, and most recently Ingrid Engen. Task: Design an outfit for either men, women, or both that is grounded in football culture and Puma King, but fresh and modern for today's consumer.
Fjord Impact Wetsuit
https://kyleforsdick.com/fjord-impact-wetsuit-1Currently, there are no wetsuits on the market that satisfy the thermoregulation needs for iceberg wakeboarding athletes while providing proper protection to the chest, back, and legs when navigating the erratic elements of arctic waters. The Fjord Sub Zero Impact Protection Wetsuit addresses these challenges by providing male wakeboarders with an ultra-warm, impact-protective wetsuit for arctic temperatures.
Adidas - Inter Milan Football Kit Concept
https://kyleforsdick.com/football-kit-designBrief: Imagine what a new away jersey would look like for the 2024/25 season while keeping in mind club history, current trends, and innovation. Task: In Clo3d, design a uniform silhouette and apply colors and graphics to each team concept. Inter Milan - Home / Away / Third Kit Imagining an Inter Milan kid from an Adidas perspective with a collaboration with Prada
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