Monica Gussow, Designer in Haiku-Pauwela, HI, United States
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Monica Gussow

Verified Expert  in Design

Designer

Location
Haiku-Pauwela, HI, United States
Toptal Member Since
February 13, 2017

Monica is a multidisciplinary digital designer and art director with nearly 20 years of experience. She has spent the first part of her career designing for national magazines like People and CosmoGIRL. Recently, she's been building brands and helping them optimize conversion through UI/UX design and art direction, creating eCommerce and other websites, identities, various digital and print collateral, and more.

MagazinesCreative DirectionMockupsBrand MarketingArt DirectionWeb DesignWebsite RedesignVisual DesigneCommerce DesignInDesign CCPhotoshop CCeCommerceResponsive Web Design (RWD)Mobile UIUX Audits

Portfolio

Work Experience

Senior Designer | Art Director

2017 - PRESENT
Monica Gussow, Inc.
  • Managed a successful freelance design business handling multiple clients of all sizes, including Hydro Flask, REI, and Saalt.
  • Specialized in eCommerce design on platforms including Shopify and BigCommerce. Led teams through all phases of these projects, including UX—site maps, use cases, designing wireframes, visual and UI design, and the style guide.
  • Provided a broader marketing design to clients, including print materials, swag, email design, and social media design.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Experience Design (XD), UX Audits, Brand Marketing, Brand Design, Graphic Design, Style Guides, Shopify Design, Photography, Mockups

Shopify Designer

2023 - 2023
Organic Baobab
  • Redesigned the client's Shopify site with an elevated and organic look and feel. This included a new theme, fonts, colors, and a built-out suite of lifestyle imagery sourced from stock.
  • Elevated the product storytelling for the client to display a wealth of information in a visually pleasing and easily digestible way that helps educate their customers and drive desire/conversions.
  • Vettet, set up, and styled third-party apps, including reviews, subscriptions, and more.
Technologies: Shopify, Web Design, Conversion, Website Redesign, eCommerce Design

Senior Designer | Art Director

2015 - 2017
Hammerquist Studios
  • Worked for clients including Hydro Flask, Kokatat, Sea to Summit, Polartec, CMH, K2 Skis, and more.
  • Acted as the lead creative and designer on efforts large and small including website builds, tablet apps, product launches, ad campaigns, brand strategy, and identity creation.
  • Completed day-to-day duties including a mix of UX, graphic design, art direction, and photoshoot planning.
  • Handled all the aspects of creative direction including everything from initial conceptualizing through to final production.
  • Conducted UX discovery and design of various eCommerce website redesigns.
Technologies: InVision, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, UX Audits, Brand Guidelines, Brand Marketing, Brand Books, Brand Design, Design Leadership, Graphic Design, Sports Websites, Style Guides, Photography

Freelance Art Director

2013 - 2015
Outdoor Research
  • Laid out a direct-to-consumer catalog including selling spreads and storytelling spreads.
  • Created master pages and detailed style sheets for all typography throughout the books.
  • Planned and art-directed all the still-life photography.
  • Completed the final production work, including preflighting the document and shipping it to the printer.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Catalog Design, Catalogs, Print Design

Art Director

2012 - 2013
Eddie Bauer
  • Art-directed and designed special issues and sections of Eddie Bauer and First Ascent catalogs, including page layout and seasonal creative concepts.
  • Partnered with merchandising/photo teams to ensure that the creative execution should be based on business needs.
  • Developed styling and shot lists for still-life and on-figure shoots.
  • Handled and was responsible for final production which included approving color correction and maintaining specs and libraries.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Publication Design, Catalog Design, Catalogs, Print Design

Freelance Senior Designer

2010 - 2012
Prevention, The Knot, All You, and Dash Magazines
  • Handled and was responsible for the entire layout and design including high-level design concepts, layouts, editing film from photoshoots, flowing, styling and routing all text, and completing the final production checklists.
  • Crafted the tablet design for All You and Dash including conceptualizing prototype editions, adapting the existing print content for digital media, and programming various interactive features.
  • Revolutionized, built, and maintained style sheets, style guides, design libraries, and master templates for All You and Dash (both print and tablet editions).
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Publication Design, Editorial Design, Print Design

Associate Art Director

2009 - 2010
People Magazine (Time, Inc.)
  • Designed features, special sections, and special issues of the magazine.
  • Worked creatively under strict weekly printing deadlines.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Publication Design, Editorial Design, Print Design
1999 - 2002

Bachelor's Degree in Communication

Boston College - Brighton, MA, USA

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