About Melissa Lea ~ The Clothing Designer
Melissa Lea ~ Clothing Design Bio
Melissa won numerous top awards for her designs while attending fashion design school in Chicago.
She was the only one to win both top design awards in a single competition among 45 fashion design schools in the Midwest region: Best of Show and The Rita Johnston Award / Scholarship at Fashion Group Internationals 1998 design competition. These awards presented her with the opportunity to study abroad and travel extensively throughout parts of Europe.
She completed her internship alongside Manuel Cuevas – Couture Designer of The Entertainment World – at his couture house in Nashville, Tennessee. There she assisted in creating stylish masterpieces for several high profile artists including the late Johnny Cash.
While building her business in Chicago, Melissa was an Associate Professor of Fashion Design and Merchandising at International Academy of Merchandising and Design. She later accepted an opportunity from O’More College of Design in Franklin, TN. There she lead the expansion of the fashion design department through a four year growth phase which included overseeing all remodeling of the sewing lab in addition to constructing new class outlines and collaborating on re-construction of Fashion Design Curriculum. She also assisted O’More president, Dr. K. Mark Hilliard in public relations and campus growth opportunities.
During this time, she completed training in Atlanta GA and earned her computer-aided pattern drafting certification from Gerber Technology. She was the only certified “Gerber Girl” in the state of TN.
Finally making it to New Mexico, Melissa feels at home in the Land of Enchantment. Under her artist name “Melissa Lea”, she provides couture and custom clothing services and is creating her own clothing line. Her other artistic endeavors, Melissa Lea fine art jewelry and photography, is available in select galleries throughout the state.
Melissa is the Founder and Executive Director of the Albuquerque Apparel Center, New Mexico Fashion Week, and NMFashionInfo.com.
All of these focus on helping to connect, support, and grow New Mexico’s apparel and fashion industry. Information on the center is provided via website: ABQApparelCenter.com.
She was the only one to win both top design awards in a single competition among 45 fashion design schools in the Midwest region: Best of Show and The Rita Johnston Award / Scholarship at Fashion Group Internationals 1998 design competition. These awards presented her with the opportunity to study abroad and travel extensively throughout parts of Europe.
She completed her internship alongside Manuel Cuevas – Couture Designer of The Entertainment World – at his couture house in Nashville, Tennessee. There she assisted in creating stylish masterpieces for several high profile artists including the late Johnny Cash.
While building her business in Chicago, Melissa was an Associate Professor of Fashion Design and Merchandising at International Academy of Merchandising and Design. She later accepted an opportunity from O’More College of Design in Franklin, TN. There she lead the expansion of the fashion design department through a four year growth phase which included overseeing all remodeling of the sewing lab in addition to constructing new class outlines and collaborating on re-construction of Fashion Design Curriculum. She also assisted O’More president, Dr. K. Mark Hilliard in public relations and campus growth opportunities.
During this time, she completed training in Atlanta GA and earned her computer-aided pattern drafting certification from Gerber Technology. She was the only certified “Gerber Girl” in the state of TN.
Finally making it to New Mexico, Melissa feels at home in the Land of Enchantment. Under her artist name “Melissa Lea”, she provides couture and custom clothing services and is creating her own clothing line. Her other artistic endeavors, Melissa Lea fine art jewelry and photography, is available in select galleries throughout the state.
Melissa is the Founder and Executive Director of the Albuquerque Apparel Center, New Mexico Fashion Week, and NMFashionInfo.com.
All of these focus on helping to connect, support, and grow New Mexico’s apparel and fashion industry. Information on the center is provided via website: ABQApparelCenter.com.
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CLOTHING DESIGN AWARDS AND HONORS
Best of Show / Rita Johnston Award
1998 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
2nd Place Senior Collections
1998 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
Outstanding Senior Level Fashion Design Collection
1998 Windy Award
International Academy of Merchandisingand Design.
Additional panel of judges: Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of Chicago and fellow members of the Chicago apparel industry.
2nd Place Senior Collections
1997 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
Outstanding Senior Level Fashion Design Collection
1997 Windy Award
International Academy of Merchandising and Design.
Additional panel of judges: Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of Chicago and fellow members of the Chicago apparel industry.
Highlighted Fashion Designer
1996 - The Women’s Leadership Group & Native American Educational Services, Inc..
Arts and Talent Fund Raiser to support scholarships and youth leadership among the Native American community.
1998 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
2nd Place Senior Collections
1998 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
Outstanding Senior Level Fashion Design Collection
1998 Windy Award
International Academy of Merchandisingand Design.
Additional panel of judges: Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of Chicago and fellow members of the Chicago apparel industry.
2nd Place Senior Collections
1997 Fashion Forum 2000
Fashion Group International of Chicago.
Forty-five mid-west schools competed in this competition.
Outstanding Senior Level Fashion Design Collection
1997 Windy Award
International Academy of Merchandising and Design.
Additional panel of judges: Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of Chicago and fellow members of the Chicago apparel industry.
Highlighted Fashion Designer
1996 - The Women’s Leadership Group & Native American Educational Services, Inc..
Arts and Talent Fund Raiser to support scholarships and youth leadership among the Native American community.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Manuel Cuevas - Couture Costume Designer of The Entertainment World
Studied under his guidance at his couture house in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree -Spring 1998
International Academy of Merchandising and Design - Chicago, IL
Studied under his guidance at his couture house in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree -Spring 1998
International Academy of Merchandising and Design - Chicago, IL