Shefali Sakhalkar

Fashion Business, Design & Product Leader with 22+ years of experience building consumer-led brands, transforming categories and delivering profitable growth across India's leading fashion retailers. Achieved 24% YoY and 17% LTL growth by translating consumer insights into commercially successful private labels and product strategies. Internationally recognised by Mattel USA for innovation, with global sourcing and brand-building experience across USA, Europe, China, Turkey, UAE and Southeast Asia.

Design Lead – Product Strategy at Yousta, Reliance Retail (2022-02 – Present)

Building and Scaling a Fast-Fashion Youth Brand Through Consumer Intelligence & Commercial Design & Product Leadership, fastest launch

• Built and scaled YOUSTA Kids business by defining consumer-led brand strategy, creative direction, product architecture and commercial design strategy from concept to retail.
• Owning Creative Direction across Kids, Teens, Youth, Infants & Newborn, Sleepwear, Sportswear and Licensed Merchandise, creating a consistent brand identity while balancing fashion, functionality and commercial performance.
• Delivered 110% AOP by driving consumer insights, trend intelligence, assortment strategy, intake margins and commercially balanced product decisions.
• Driving end-to-end product strategy from trend forecasting and concept creation to range planning, design execution, sourcing alignment and retail readiness.
• Lead cross-functional execution across Buying, Planning, Merchandising, Sourcing, Quality, Marketing and Retail Operations to accelerate speed-to-market and maximise category performance.
• Implementing AI transformation within Design by integrating AI into trend research, consumer intelligence and product development workflows.
• Develop high-performing design talent by fostering innovation, collaboration, accountability and a consumer-first mindset.
• Successfully certified Reliance Retail's Inspirational Leadership Programme (ILP), strengthening strategic leadership and business transformation capabilities.

Senior Manager – Design & Product at FBB, Future Group (2017-08 – 2022-01)

Transforming a Fashion Portfolio into One of FBB's Fastest Growing Businesses

• Led Brand & Product Strategy across a ₹300 Cr portfolio spanning six private labels, driving category growth through consumer-led product innovation and commercial design.
• Delivered 24% YoY Growth and 17% LTL Growth by redefining brand positioning, assortment strategy and commercially balanced product architecture.
• Repositioned and revitalised brands including Pink & Blue, DJNC and Bare Denims, strengthening consumer relevance and delivering category growth.
• Owned end-to-end product innovation from consumer insights, trend intelligence and range building to sourcing & execution.
• Influenced category sales, intake margins and profitability by aligning creative direction with commercial objectives and product performance.
• Led global and domestic sourcing partnerships to improve product quality, speed-to-market and cost optimisation.
• Mentored and developed design talent, fostering innovation, accountability and a high-performance culture.

Design Head & Product Development Manager at Shirt Company I Ltd (2012-01 – 2017-12)

Transforming an Indian Licensee into a Globally Recognised Design & Product Partner

• Awarded Mattel USA's "Most Innovative Licensee of the Year Worldwide", at LA El Segundo Creative Summit, recognising excellence in licensed product innovation, creative leadership and brand execution.
• Elevated the company to a Tier-1 global licensee, transforming the business from importing licensed designs to creating and exporting original designs and products to international markets including Brazil, Singapore and Turkey.
• Integrated product, retail and marketing strategies by leading annual marketing calendars, visual storytelling and consumer engagement platforms, ensuring a consistent brand experience across every customer touchpoint.
• Directed integrated marketing calendars, conceptualising seasonal campaigns, fashion shows, mall activations, consumer contests, digital initiatives and in-store experiences to strengthen brand engagement and drive retail traffic.
• Led Brand Strategy, Creative Direction and Product Development for globally recognised brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Nine and Miss Pink, translating global brand DNA into commercially successful collections.
• Directed collections showcased at Lakmé Fashion Week (2014) and India Kids Fashion Week (2015), strengthening brand equity and market visibility.
• Built and scaled the licensed kidswear business through end-to-end ownership of Design, Product Development, Licensing, Sourcing, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, social media and E-commerce introduction.
• Built and mentored high-performing creative teams while fostering innovation across the complete product lifecycle.

Senior Designer → Design Manager at Shirt Company I Ltd (2008-01 – 2012-12)

Building the Foundation for India's Leading Licensed Kidswear Business

• Played a pivotal role in building one of India's first organized licensed kidswear businesses, pioneering exclusive brand stores and shop-in-shop retail concepts for global licensed brands.
• Helped establish Barbie as the No. 1 girls' licensed brand across leading Indian retail chains through consumer-led product innovation, compelling retail experiences and integrated brand building.
• Contributed to transforming the business from importing international designs to developing original Indian collections that were later adopted by international markets.
• Developed licensed collections by translating global trends and brand guidelines into products tailored for Indian consumers.
• Collaborated across Design, Licensing, Sourcing and Marketing to build engaging customer experiences through in-store activations, contests, mall events and promotional campaigns.

Designer → Senior Designer at Shirt Company I Ltd (2005-01 – 2008-12)

Building the Foundation in End-to-End Product Creation

• Built a strong foundation in commercial fashion product development, managing the complete journey from concept, design and trend research to sampling, fit approvals, factory execution and production.
• Developed hands-on expertise in garment construction, fabric selection, graphics, product engineering, costing and quality, creating products aligned to consumer and commercial requirements.
• Worked closely with factories, sourcing partners and licensors, gaining practical exposure to manufacturing processes, product feasibility and speed-to-market.
• Learned to balance creative design with commercial viability, laying the foundation for future leadership in Design, Product and Brand Strategy.

Team Leader (Direct sales team) at Not specified (2004-01 – 2005-12)

Building the Foundation in Fashion Manufacturing & Commercial Product Development

• Gained end-to-end exposure to the apparel value chain, from design, product development, sampling and fit approvals to sourcing, factory coordination and production.
• Built a practical understanding of B2B manufacturing, product engineering, costing and commercial execution, working closely with buyers, vendors and production teams.
• Established the technical and commercial foundation that shaped my future leadership across B2B manufacturing, global licensing and B2C fashion retail.

Advance Fashion buying, Short course in Fashion Buying – London College Of Fashion (2016-01)

Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design – National Institute of Fashion Technology (2004-01)