Karen Yao is an innovative, highly proficient and detail-oriented Knitwear and cut/sew Designer, with 10 years of experience in CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL KNITWEAR DESIGN. Expert in yarn mills, fiber, knit techniques, stitch techniques, tech pack executions and garment construction.

She is a CFDA+ Design Graduate Winner and a BFA in Women's Wear Fashion Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

She specializes in sustainable yarns, fully fashioned knitwear, and cut/sew categories for both men and women, working with brands such as Thom Browne, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Theory, Artizia, Dodiee, Ralph Lauren Collection, Halston(discount price/mass market) and Naadam. She has developed knitwear collections for New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, collaborating with creative directors, merchandisers, tech designers, and production teams. She is passionate about creating innovative and design-oriented knitwear designs that reflect the brand's artistic vision, engineer craftsmanship with strategic collaborations.

As a manager, she is passionate about team growth and leads with examples with business-oriented goals that reflect company design values/vision.