DIETZA KARANTGES

A dynamic and results-driven business owner and sales professional with a passion for corporate branding, client engagement, and relationship management.

With a background in fashion, marketing, and sales I specialize in helping businesses enhance their brand presence through customized corporate clothing, gifting, and design solutions.

As the owner of D Fine Corporate, I have built a strong client base by focusing on sales, brand positioning, and exceptional customer service. My expertise lies in business development, strategic partnerships, and fundraising, leveraging my ability to connect with people and identify opportunities for growth.

In addition to running my business, I serve as the Chairlady of my daughter’s junior school (since 2024) as well as Head of the Ladies Hellenic Community High Tea, where I lead fundraising initiatives, foster community engagement, and drive sponsorships to support school and community programs.

I thrive in high-energy environments, excel at negotiation and deal-making, and am always looking for innovative ways to grow brands and businesses.

• Trend forecaster and ladies/kids leather footwear design for a shoe company that supplies Woolworths
• I was headhunted when I relocated to Port Elizabeth and started working there as it was a good fit for me coming from Woolworths

• I worked with buying and marketing to ensure that commercial product/ adverts/ online exceeded customer expectations and sales were met
• Building partnerships with Buying, Planning, and Sourcing and Technology and work in an integrated way to optimise design within the Groups
• Develop concepts, storyboard, sketches and drawings of new designs to be considered within the groups in line with the design direction
• Develop designs and cads using Photoshop and Illustrator
• Review fabric print and material options for the season
• Determine colours for the season aligned to overall trend colour palette presented
• Review with the buyer seasonal colour palettes in line with agreed seasonal colour direction
• Develop seasonal colour boards
• Sourcing products and negotiating with suppliers
• Conduct inspirational shopping internationally to show the trends
• Identify trial opportunities in current season for future season
• Develop design direction in prototype sample or CAD/photo sample form and present to Head of Design then buying for sign-off
• Present design direction and proposed continuity items for the season
• Develop product tech pack using Illustrator / Photoshop
• Brief ideas, sketches and initial sample requests to relevant suppliers (good, better, best strategy) in line with sourcing strategy
• Determine product techpack for continuity and selected items dependent upon supplier capability
• Develop design brief
• Present season, including styles, looks, themes and fabrics opportunities in line with strategy and design direction
• Conduct thorough trend analyses for product so that can always offer best product and competitive prices
• Overseas travel to buy into forward view of trends and product
• Review and approve design brief samples and agree with buying continuity items, volume input and input items for season
• Build relationships with Suppliers
• Manage on time delivery of the Merchandise cycle
• Develop, motivate, inspire and lead the relevant group's Design Assistant and provide ongoing feedback to enhance performance and deliver the seasonal product direction

• Designed womanswear and menswear for the Vertigo label
• Planning and building of seasonal ranges
• Fitting of garments
• Briefing suppliers on fabric, colours, silhouettes and trimmings
• Continuously liaising with suppliers on product cycle and deadlines
• Trend and style research for the season
• Customer profile presentations - who is the Vertigo customer
• Determining the colour palettes for the season
• Fashion forecasting and international trend research
• Management of design process
• Presentation of ranges to store personnel, informing them of current theme, style and textures
• Assisting store personnel with merchandising to optimise the display of range