Bio/ Affiliation
Brianna Bening is a denim designer and fashion illustrator renowned for her dedication
to functionality, utilitarian detail, and forward-thinking design. Sustainability
is a cornerstone of her ethos, driving her meticulous selection of fabrics, implementation
of eco-friendly laundry processes, engagement in upcycling, and advocacy for waste
reduction strategies
during development.
Early in Brianna’s career, she worked for corporate brands and licenses, honing foundational skills in design and process. Highly interested in entrepreneurship and the full scope of the fashion business, Brianna transitioned from the corporate fashion realm to consulting in 2010. She guides smaller brands and start-ups in establishing their denim lines, specializing in brand identity and design infrastructure development, laying the foundational blocks for brand success. She ensures her clients stay authentic to their brand DNA while crafting fresh and innovative design directives for each season.
Brianna prides herself on her organizational prowess, meticulous attention to detail, and business savvy. Thriving in collaborative settings, she firmly believes in the strength of creative collaboration, fostering diverse perspectives of creative minds and business partners to craft compelling narratives and products.
In addition to consulting, Brianna gives back by passing on her design knowledge to the new generation of fashion designers. She lectures part-time as a Fashion Design and Illustration instructor at Otis College of Art and Design, seamlessly integrating her illustration skills into both her design work and instructional lectures.
Brianna graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in 2008, earning her BFA with special honors. Her work has graced prestigious venues such as the Ben Martz Gallery in 2005 and the front window of Neiman Marcus on Rodeo Drive in 2007. Notably, she received the esteemed Thimble Award in 2008 for her collection created for Disney.
Education
Bachelor Fine Arts (BFA) Fashion Design
Ots College of Art and Design, 2008
Experience
Lecturer, Fashion Illustration + Design | 2022 - Present
Ots College of Art and Design
Fashion Illustraton and Design lecturer for Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior levels.
- Introduces teaching methods for rapidly creatng design variatons, emphasizing the creaton of multple silhouetes and proportons.
- Demonstrates how to create clear and accurate technical flats by integratng precise constructon engineering, proportons, and drape techniques.
- Breaks down the process of creatng a fashion figure and customizing it to suit the aesthetc of a project directve.
- Demonstrates accurate techniques for drawing and rendering fabrics on the fashion figure. Also focuses on various silhouetes and fabric weights, highlightng the distncton between structured and draped garments.
Design Consultant | 2017 - Present
Industry Design Studio
Established a consultng firm that specializes in building brand identty, foundatonal design and fit infrastructure tailored to ensure brand success.
- Crafs seasonal mood, color, and key concepts aligned with the client’s brand vision.
Develops line presentatons for each season, featuring trends, key
concept illustratons, CADs, mood and color inspiraton boards, as well as trim, fabric, and wash stories. - Develops logo, trim, fabric, wash, and embellishment techniques to create an evolved and cohesive collecton while ensuring brand consistency.
- Collaborates closely with global fabric and trim vendors to incorporate fresh, innovatve
fabricaton and trim concepts. Develops and implements wash
directon and finishing techniques in collaboraton with laundry partners. - Directly communicates and collaborates with patern, sewing, and product development teams to ensure accurate and efficient executon of styles.
- Oversees and directs fitngs for each style to ensure the fit and aesthetc fully capture
the essence of the original design and align appropriately with
the target demographic.
Co-Founder, Creative Director | 2015 - 2017
Core Denim Co.
Owner, Founder, and Creatve Director of Core Denim Co., a premium denim brand specializing in high-quality fits tailored for the athletc build, revolutonizing denim design and fit.
- Established brand values, crafed a mission statement, determined category approach, identfied target demographic, and established price points.
- Pioneered revolutonary denim fits for athletc builds, prioritzing constructon and quality. Developed a collecton with technology-enhanced fabricatons for stretch, movement, and recovery, ideal for an actve lifestyle.
- Developed a trim package with a distnct brand identty, including hardware, labels, and hangtags. Collaborated with premium LA-based laundries to create innovatve wash stories.
- Created marketng outreach kits that defined key benefits and selling points.
- Collaborated on website infastructure and directed advertsing content through photo and video shoots.
- Collaborated with athletes and fitness influencers to boost brand exposure and increase overall revenue.
Co-Founder, Design Consultant | 2013 - 2016
Capital Blue
Established a consultng business that executed an end to end process from concepton and development through producton.
- Created line presentatons with concept illustratons, CADs, and presentaton boards
showcasing mood, color, fabric, wash, and embellishments that
aligned with the client's brand vision. - Developed trim, fabric, wash, and embellishment techniques for a cohesive collecton.
- Collaborated with merchandising to meet SKU plan and company wide margin goals. Implemented innovatve, fast-track design concepts that integrated current fashion trends with brand DNA.
- Oversaw fitngs to ensure design aesthetc and fit consitency were aligned with the target demographic.
- Created detailed technical design sheets for partnered factories. Worked cross-functonally with patern makers, sewing, and product development teams for accurate and efficient product executon.
Designer, Women’s Denim and Hardwovens | 2010 - 2013
Guess? YC and Guess by Marciano
Designed women's denim and hardwoven styles that significantly contributed to the creaton and development of each season.
- Contributed to shaping seasonal design directon by collaboratng with design team members to refine the mood, color palete, and wash directon.
- Established a hands-on approach with business partners, collaboratng directly with patern makers, cutng and sewing teams, product development experts, and laundry technicians to innovate seasonal wash and finishing techniques and design styles.
- Partnered with global fabric and trim vendors to develop new and innovatve trims, fabrics, and embellishment techniques.
- Created CADs and technical design sheets utlized for development.
- Partcipated in fitngs for all styles to ensure the fit and aesthetc fully captured the original design concept.