Melissa Wehrle
Summary
Highly knowledgeable and experienced in the construction and creation of fully fashioned sweaters.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Sweater Technical Designer
Takeout / RDG Global
11.2012 - Current
- Work with designers to create development tech packs for private label and in house brands - Kohls, Macys, Burlington, Ross stores, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Freshman, and C&C California.
- Experience with Missy, Contemporary, Juniors, Plus, and Kids size ranges
- Suggest creative solutions to construction and pricing issues
- Measure and pre-fit samples for the pricing process
- Make pre-production fit comments on proto samples to help streamline production process
- Attend fittings with Production team to make sure design specifications are met
- Liaison between production, design, and sales teams in regards to fit and pricing issues
- Communication with overseas factories daily
Senior Sweater Designer
Takeout / RDG Global
05.2012 - 11.2012
- Attend fitting with live model to make sure design specifications are met
- Liaison between production and sales in regards to fit, lab dip approval, and pricing issues
- Research color trends and appropriate yarns for each season
- Work together with Creative Director to create trend boards and finalize yarn colors for each market (11 markets per year; approximately 8-10 groups per market)
- Source yarns, fabrics, stitches, and trims to fit into out price point
- Sketch into each group, choosing final designs with Design team
- Tech packs: CAD, specs, details layouts
- Follow up with overseas factories to make sure sample deadlines are met
Sweater Designer/Technical
KBL Group International
04.2005 - 01.2012
- Shopped and interpreted trends for the Junior/Contemporary market
- Private label: worked directly with buyers to develop proto samples for customers such as Target, Bloomingdales, Heritage 1981, and Forever 21
- Full-fashion sweaters: highly knowledgeable in stitch structure, knitting times, gauge, yarn, Stoll machinery and hand flats
- Responsible for fittings on a live model, garment approval, and graded specs for junior line and select customers
- Measured and made comments on Fit, PP, and TOP samples
- Made comments on and approved lab dips
- Tech pack: CAD, specs, detailed layouts for stitch placement, stripes, jacquard, beading, etc.
- Overseas communication
Sweater Designer/Technical
dollhouse
06.2002 - 04.2005
- Shopped and interpreted trends for the Junior market
- Full-fashion sweaters and cut and sew
- Responsible for complete design process from initial sketch to production
- Sourced yarns, fabrics, and trims
- Domestic and overseas communication
- Tracked fit samples and made sure samples approval deadlines were met
- Measured and made comments on Fit, PP, and TOP samples
- Responsible for fittings on live model, garment approval, and graded specs for the junior line
- Tech packs: CAD, specs, detailed layouts for stitch placement, stripes, jacquard, beading, etc
- Directed in house sample room to make samples and to correct production samples for fit
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts / Fashion Design -
Fashion Institute of Technology
05.2002
Skills
- Proficent in Photoshop and Illustrator
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
- Handknitting
- Sewing
Author Designer
Metropolitan Knits: Chic Designs for Urban Style with Interweave Press. Published in May 2013.
Related Experience
- Stoll Knitting Machine Certificate Sep 2009
- "Knit 1 Purl 1" seminar
- Published handknit designs in Interweave Knits magazine, Vogue Knitting magazine, Twist Collective, and Brooklyn Tweed
- Tech edited patterns for Interweave Publishing knitting publications
- Fall 2009 featured designer in Knitscene magazine
- Published handknit designs in Twist Collective magazine,
- Featured designs in several books: Stitch n' Bitch Superstar Knitting, Stitch n' Bitch Nation, November Knits, Weekend Hats, Brave New Knits
- Design and self-publish own line of knitting patterns: neoknits
Timeline
Senior Sweater Technical Designer
Takeout / RDG Global
11.2012 - Current
Senior Sweater Designer
Takeout / RDG Global
05.2012 - 11.2012
Sweater Designer/Technical
KBL Group International
04.2005 - 01.2012
Sweater Designer/Technical
dollhouse
06.2002 - 04.2005
Bachelor of Fine Arts / Fashion Design -
Fashion Institute of Technology
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