details make the difference.
hello!
I’m Alexandra Silva, a color, material, and finish specialist with a background in industrial design. In my five years at SharkNinja, I led the CMF development of innovative products in the beauty and home health industries. Here I discovered the beauty in everyday products and their impact to consumer’s overall wellness, bringing joy and positively contributing to a daily routine.
As the founder of GAF Creative Studio, I focus on creating meaningful experiences that enhance everyday life through CMF. My holistic CMF approach and empathy-driven design philosophy prioritize consumers, ensuring products resonate authentically and spark joy. I am driven to design products that not only fulfill practical needs but also evoke emotional connections, exceeding expectations and enriching lives.
Industrial Design Intern
SharkNinja | Jan 2019 - Nov 2019
My career started in an incredibly fast-paced environment, creating sketch and CAD concepts across the Shark product lines. Quickly, I discovered my strength was in the color, material, and finish niche of Industrial Design. I naturally gravitated towards tasks associated with the CMF specialized team: trend research, color matching, color concept explorations, and CMF specification document creation.
CMF Designer
SharkNinja | Nov 2019 - Jul 2020
My growth as a CMF Designer was accelerated by leading several key projects. Always open to any task, I expanded into product categories such as corded and cordless vacuums, steam mops, and haircare. The opportunity to lead Limited Edition exclusive projects where the boundaries were broadened was deeply gratifying. The ability to navigate with speed and accuracy, along with enthusiasm, resulted in becoming a go-to CMF person.
Senior CMF Designer
SharkNinja | Jul 2020 - Apr 2022
My quick Senior level promotion was an impactful recognition, assurance that the hard work and successful outcomes did not go unnoticed. My key contribution was ideating CMF concepts that were unique in the market: pushing the boundaries while still being customer focused and conscious of the manufacturing technologies in terms of availability and affordability.
CMF Design Manager
SharkNinja | Apr 2022 - Mar 2024
This role entailed being an influence in all facets of the CMF team and how it operates. I’m proud to have had a hand in training the entirety of the Shark CMF team and have not only developed a passion for it, but build a set of tools to effectively onboard others. I successfully to dreamed up initiatives, mentored others, and led through example on how to execute best-in-market CMF.
Education
Product Design | Istituto Europeo di Design
Milan, IT | 2015 - 2018
Academic Degree in Product Design recognized by Ministero dell’Istruzione Universitaria e Ricerca - MIUR
Introduction to CMF | Central Satin Martins University of Arts
London, UK | October 2022
Academic Degree in Product Design recognized by Ministero dell’Istruzione Universitaria e Ricerca - MIUR