Heather Franco

Heather began designing at a very young age for one of the top fashion models of the day, her Barbie Doll. Since her mother worked in the garment industry, Heather grew up around a sewing machine and instinctually took to the intricacies and creative expression of moving an ephemeral idea through fabric and thread to form a tactile exposition of personality. She started working in her mother's factory at the age of 12, sewing buttons, folding, pressing...anything she could get her nimble little hands on. As most adolescents do, in her late teens Heather began to question whether her love for design was simply a learned skill or a true passion. For college Heather moved to San Francisco to study both dance and fashion, in search of the answer to this deep seated question. It was during these years that Heather found a love for Afro Brazilian movement and began dancing with the company Marareggae. As with most dance companies, financial means were limited so Heather took it upon herself to start designing the costumes for her company members. It was the convergence of these two passions that gave Heather the answer she was looking for and she soon enrolled in FIDM to pursue a degree in Fashion Design. After graduating from FIDM she’s designed high-end womenswear, menswear, children's wear, loungewear, lingerie, activewear, swimwear, knitwear, fashion accessories, jewelry and even dog clothing! Ever the California girl, Heather now lives in Corona Del Mar with her husband and son where she finds daily inspiration from the Southern California beach lifestyle. 

Heather is an entrepreneurial minded Design Director who has an established track record of building and launching fashion brands for exacting clients. With a sweet spot for seeing the bigger picture, an eye for details others miss and 18+ years of experience across a wide range of products from mass to high-end, She knows exactly how to take an idea or product from scratch to fully up and running while creating a foundation that enables repeatable future success. Her approach to design includes taking a holistic brand perspective identifying market position, nailing product details and fit, and designing a cohesive strategy around production and costing. She is highly empathetic with people and process and efficient with time because she has done every job in the product development pipeline. After years spent as a dancer and a gratifying side hustle as a personal trainer, she is extremely passionate about fit and creating garments that are body inclusive and also make a person feel their absolute best. Her other passion is sustainability, which she has focused on extensively within her own fashion brand and with her clients.