Melanie Witt

Manage the process of tech pack creation, material sourcing/development, and prototyping for Men’s Casual, Men’s Sleep, Men’s Active, and Women’s Active products.
Work closely with design team to execute development & maintain standards on all aspects of production. Mentoring Assistants – train & guide on processes and protocols to becoming a full-fledged Developer.
Manage work in progress (WIP) tracking and reporting of sourcing, garment sampling & material/trim submissions. Review and sign off on sample construction, material, color, and labeling.
Manage the timeline of production calendar to meet all stages of development.
Establish, implement, & maintain organizational strategies to improve efficiency both within the team and cross functionally w/ Designer, Merchandisers, Production, and Vendors.
Lead admin for PLM system – conduct trouble-calls, provide training, perform upgrade testing & implementation, develop tools to increase organization & efficiency for entire Product Design & Development Department.

Lead developer for 6 seasons in Juniors Girls category & 3 seasons in the Women’s Casual & Plus category with a focus on the Woven Tops and Woven Dresses commodities.
Negotiated costs with overseas and domestic vendors for over 250 styles, in order to achieve marginal goals.
Created and maintained full tech packs that consisted of garments sketches, design details, BOMs, sourcing & costing, and ticket information, for over 500 styles.
Played a vital role in handing off information to the fit team, as well as providing support of garment development through the fit process.
Assist Designer with seasonal market research and trend proposals.
Contributed in bringing the team to operate completely on schedule and maintaining all deadlines.
Assisted in training team members on company policy, task protocols, brand standards, and Centric PLM.
Maintains category linesheets and ensures all teams are provided with current information.
Evaluates garments by way of measuring points of measure, examining construction & trims, and assessing fit on the dress form & live models.
Uses strong organization and communication skills with vendors and factories regarding garment submissions protocol, color/artwork specifications and submissions, product deliveries, garment construction, BOM details, & company compliances.

Head product designer who used reverse engineering to generate compelling product from pre and post consumer excess materials, while maintaining the brand’s identity and mission.
Applied research-based principles to drive the design of products that fully support end-user needs. Executed design decision details such as hardware, color, material, aesthetic and ergonomics.
Executed & maintained product drawings, detailed technical illustrations, patternmaking, and techpacks.
Managed and trained local production teams on schedule, patterning, construction, equipment use, and assemply of products.
Worked closely with factories on development of prototypes, production schedule, packaging and hangtags, sourcing materials and trims, cost, and shipping schedules.
Managed and mentored interns on all aspects of design and product development - guiding them to become a salaried employee.
Tracked and recorded inventory and cost of materials, trims, outsourced work, and assembly kits.

Team leader who delegated required maintenance and troubleshooting of vital equipment for ship safety, as well as repairing, monitoring, replacing, and maintaining the ship’s numerous safety alarm system.