Janelle Pietrzak

2009-09-16T18:05:00.001-04:00

Hi Friend! Please browse through my CV, and look at images (on the right) of my work to learn more.

DIY shoes

2009-09-16T18:00:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I like to alter my shoes to make them really special.

Here I added a layer of mixed leather fringe:

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To my old cream chucks, I added a metal studs:

Spaces

2009-09-14T22:51:00.004-04:00

For a secret santa exchange at work. During this time I was completely obsessed with creating secret spaces and environments. Inside this vintage mason jar are two little plastic deer. The "secret" copper tag was stamped and distressed in a jewelry class.

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Using old tissue paper pattern and a lot of Modge Podge, I covered the bathroom walls at work. To further the dressmaker's theme, I photocopied my collection of scissors and mounted them on colored paper.

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Books

2009-09-14T22:19:00.008-04:00

I have garnered many collections over the years, and decided to document some of them in a book.

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I'd always wanted to make a flip book, and finally was inpired by a special friend.

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Not really a book, but a special package. I made this Demo-CD promo pack for the band Ghastly City Sleep. We sent it out to record labels. The labels were coffee dyed, the bags were hand dyed to have various shades of blue-grey. Then the text was gocco printed. Hand-cut paper feathers were stamped with the band logo, and stuck inside the CD packaging. I think I made about 60 of these.

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After working at the philadelphia navy yard a few months, I was inspired to make this book. Handbound and leather-covered, it contains watercolor paintings, drawings, photocopy art, and typewriter text.

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Hair Accessories

2009-09-14T22:11:00.007-04:00

Hair clips, made from thrift store clothing and vintage charms. Hand made prototypes for Anthropologie.

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Headbands, made from thrift store clothing. Hand made prototypes for Anthropologie.

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Big floppy bow pony tail holder, made from thrift store clothing. Hand made prototype for Anthropologie.

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Bobby pins made with leftover leather shoe embellishments.

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Hair fascinators made using vintage millinery flowers and feathers.

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Jewelry

2009-09-14T22:00:00.011-04:00

Charm necklaces made from dollhouse scale bird cages and vintage items.

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Charm necklaces made from vintage and found charms.

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Hammered and distressed, copper dog tags. I made these christmas presents for all my dog friends.

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Anthropologie

2007-06-01T21:21:00.006-04:00

Anthropologie
Philadelphia, PA

Assistant Fabric R&D Coordinator
Jan 2010 - current
Source and develop structured and soft woven fabrics. Identify seasonal fabric trends and present to design team. Partner with design and production departments to ensure all fabric developed meets design requests, price requirements and quality standards. Source core fabrics and chase into available fabric positions. Work with fabric resources to modify existing fabrics for desired attributes in order to meet design objectives. Maintain strong relationships with fabric mills and overseas agents. Organize and maintain fabric library.

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Assistant Designer,
January 2008 - January 2010
Support accessories design department in recently launched, in house, private label shoe and hand bag business. Design styles using Illustrator and Photoshop. Assist in all areas of design including; technical design, labels and packaging development, coloring, print design, embroidery/embellishment layouts, CADs, custom hardware development, calendar planning, and allocations. Communicate with overseas factories daily. Close partnership, and collaboration with buying and production teams. Ongoing trend research through all forms of media and local shopping.

During the Holiday '08 season, we traveled to a New Jersey store to host a craft workshop. Our project was headbands, since they were an exciting trend at the time. We had an ok turn out, and everyone did a really great job creating headbands. For materials, we cut up incorrect bag samples and tried to re-purpose anything we could from old samples.

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Design Coordinator,
Philadelphia, PA
November 2006 - current
Work as part of first tailored, and then casual wovens design team on women's jackets, bottoms, and outerwear. Liaison between design and product development. Develop wash standards seasonally for fabrics. Work off-site in local wash house with wash technicians to achieve desired hand feels. Assist with sourcing and development of fabrics, including woolens, denims, and other heavy weight wovens. Schedule and attend weekly fittings. Attend design presentations, buyer's review, best and worst sellers, concept presentations. Schedule meetings between design, buying team, production, and art departments. Communicate with factories on a daily basis. Meet with fabric vendors and attend fabric trade shows.

Women's Wear Daily, May 24, 2007
"Jersey Washhouse Lures 7th Avenue"

2006-08-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

This is the online portfolio of fashion designer/crafter Janelle Pietrzak. This is only a sampling that includes work generated on Illustrator, Photoshop, constructed garments, hand embroidery and other craft work. Please browse through my qualifications on my resume, and look at images on my work. Click on any of the images to view larger. Thank you for stopping by!

Fashion Books

2006-08-17T20:17:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

Handbound books of clothing design.

GO DUTCH!
-mini wovens collections inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch style.

Piama Jeans

2006-07-28T16:26:00.000-04:00

(launched by MUDD Jeans), women's contemporary denim collection - associate designer
New York, NY
February 2005 – October 2005

Collaborate with head designer to conceive women's denim bottoms and woven and knit tops for contemporary, premium denim collection, Piama. Travel abroad to oversee prototype manufacturing. Create flat sketches and tech packs on Illustrator. Comment on and approve design and wash samples, communicate with vendors overseas. Assisted designer on special couture denim line for exclusive Beverley Hills jeweler, Johnathon Arndt. Work with production team, sewers, and pattern makers. Research and execute fabric embellishment. Shop the market for style, fabric, and color trends. Approve fabric lab dips

Please click on an image to view larger

hang tag concept

Sewn

2006-07-26T19:15:00.006-04:00

Using leather swatch scraps, I made luggage tags inspired by fish scales. These were only difficult to construct since I do not have a leather sewing machine, my needle kept breaking! Three of these were made for gifts.

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A collaboration with Del Forte Denim for "Project Rejeaneration" concept. Launched at Eco-Petal. Using organic cotton, sweatshop free, Del Forte jeans, I embellished and sometimes reconstructed the garments using vintage kimono scraps and trims. More photos can be seen here.

Press:

-1.17.07 Treehugger

-1.2007 U.S. Airways Inflight Magazine

-2.2007 Plenty Magazine

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2005 Senior Division first place winner of New York State's Make It Yourself With Wool competition. Represented New York State in the National Make It Yourself With Wool National competition in Mesa, Arizona, February 2006.

-patterned and sewn wool dress
-original design, hand embroidered crewel work
-hand felted wool ball necklaces

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R.O.K.shirts - Recycled One of Kind Shirts. Reconstructed t-shirt line, 2002 - 2003.

Sold in stores:
Richmond, Virginia
-Need Supply Co.
-Clementine

Brooklyn, New York
-Mini Mini Market
-Sweet Virginia

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Clients:

-Laptop bags sewn for Flicka Bags
-Recycled garments sewn for Nicole Rae Styer, Philadelphia based fashion designer.
-Promotional silk camisoles sewn for SAVA, Philadelphia based fashion company

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Greta & Lux

2006-07-21T12:18:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

Greta & Lux accessories line, 2004 - current. Designer, manufacturer, sales.

Sold online:
-Greta & Lux Etsy shop
-Cut+Paste

Also:
-Renegade Craft Fair, Brooklyn, 2005
-The Market NYC, 2004

R.O.K.shirts

2006-07-21T11:54:00.001-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

R.O.K.shirts - Recycled One of Kind Shirts. Reconstructed t-shirt line, 2002 - 2003.

Sold in stores:
Richmond, Virginia
-Need Supply Co.
-Clementine

Brooklyn, New York
-Mini Mini Market
-Sweet Virginia

R.O.K.shirts

2006-07-21T11:54:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

R.O.K.shirts - Recycled One of Kind Shirts. Reconstructed t-shirt line, 2002 - 2003. Designer, manufacturer, sales.

Sold in stores:
Richmond, Virginia
-Need Supply Co.
-Clementine

Brooklyn
-Mini Mini Market
-Sweet Virginia

Manhattan
-The Market NYC, 2004

Embellished

2006-07-21T11:19:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

Hand sewn skirt with hand embroidery.

Bleached and hand embroidered denim.

Embellished T-shirts.

Make it Yourself With Wool

2006-07-21T10:25:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

2005 Senior Division first place winner of New York State's Make It Yourself With Wool competition. Represented New York State in the National Make It Yourself With Wool National competition in Mesa, Arizona, February 2006.

-patterned and sewn wool dress
-original design, hand embroidered crewel work
-hand felted wool ball necklaces

Embroidery

2006-07-20T14:50:00.002-04:00

Two different embroidered wedding gifts. Both motifs were inspired by the wedding invitations.

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Hand sewn skirt with hand embroidery.

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Bleached and hand embroidered denim.

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Embroidered blocks sewn onto handmade shirts.

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Hand sewn and embroidered jewelry pouch.

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Del Forte Denim

2006-07-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

A collaboration with Del Forte Denim for "Project Rejeaneration" concept. Launched at Eco-Petal. Using organic cotton, sweatshop free, Del Forte jeans, I embellished and sometimes reconstructed the garments using vintage kimono scraps and trims. More photos can be seen here.

Press:

-1.17.07 Treehugger

-1.2007 U.S. Airways Inflight Magazine
*Photo credit: Janelle Pietrzak

-2.2007 Plenty Magazine

Greta & Lux Packaging

2006-07-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

Please click an image to view larger.

A set of print items including, business card, hang tag, rubber stamp, return address label, and stationary paper.

Illustrations

2006-07-20T10:32:00.001-04:00

Watercolor inspired by a trip to Guatemala. The Mayan women weave the story of their village into their huipil (blouses). Each village's weaving technique varies from the next.

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This painting is a coat I designed and sewed for a tailoring class.

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Watercolor

2006-07-20T10:27:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

Executive Apparel - Uniform Apparel

2006-07-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger.

Executive Apparel, Designer/Quality Control Supervisor
Philadelphia, PA
February 2006 – June 2006
Designer for men and women’s uniform/career apparel line. Designed staff uniforms for new $200 million development project for the Residences at Atlantis located in the Bahamas. Structured a previously non-existent design department. Updated traditional looks with a style conscious and trend driven fit, plus creating new concepts to introduce into the professional apparel industry. Responsible for researching trends, creating new designs using Illustrator, developing product with local sample room, communicating with contractors, and working with sales team on new concepts to meet customers’ needs. In charge of checking quality of received orders, included approval or advising changes.

Update for traditional girls' school uniform blazer.

School uniform concept developed for Muslim students.

Flat Drawings

2006-07-20T09:34:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger size

Plugg Jeans

2006-07-19T20:06:00.000-04:00

please click on an image to view larger size

Plugg Jeans, associate designer
New York, NY
October 2005 - February 2006
Worked closely with head designer to develop junior denim bottoms and outerwear line. Draw flat sketches using Illustrator. Created tech packs, which include detail and fit specifications, topstitching and hardware information, and artwork for embroideries and silk-screen designs. Communicated with factories overseas. Shopped the local market for seasonal trends. Conducted fittings. Assisted in wash development and research.

GRAPHICS

Distressed screen print with metallic foil accents. To be applied on the inside of a jacket or vest.

Embroidery or screen print design, to be applied on the inside of a waistband as a brand label.

TECH PACKS

Mudd Jeans

2006-07-19T19:21:00.000-04:00

Please click on an image to view larger size

MUDD JEANS, junior denim - assistant designer
New York, NY
October 2003 – January 2005
Lead in all preparations for garments in juniors' line for monthly market week. Research fabric and trims. Complete flat sketches and CADs. Create embroidered designs using Photoshop and Illustrator. Attend weekly fittings. Design presentation boards for sales team. Create graphics for accessories, which were manufactured and sold. Meet and communicate with domestic and international vendors.

Pant version of this skirt included hand stitching and fabric patches, sold in major department stores nationwide.

Graffiti cuff sold as a gift with purchase, attached to jeans. Carried by a major department store nationwide.

Back pocket embroidery, included on select denim styles in both children's and junior sizes. Sold by major department stores nationwide.

Men's and Women's Sportswear

2006-07-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

please click on an image to view larger size

Women's cut and sew knit Sportswear

2006-07-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

please click on an image to view larger size

Buffalo Girls - old west inspired junior's collection

2006-07-19T16:48:00.000-04:00

please click on image to view larger size

inspiration board

printed fabric

RESUME

2006-07-19T10:08:00.006-04:00

EDUCATION
BFA in Fashion Design, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 2003
Concentration in painting and printmaking. Maintained Dean's List.GPA 3.7 MAGNA CUM LAUDE

EXPERIENCE
Anthropologie, Assistant Fabric R&D Coordinator,
Philadelphia, PA
Jan 2010 - current
Source and develop structured and soft woven fabrics. Identify seasonal fabric trends and present to design team. Partner with design and production departments to ensure all fabric developed meets design requests, price requirements and quality standards. Source core fabrics and chase into available fabric positions. Work with fabric resources to modify existing fabrics for desired attributes in order to meet design objectives. Maintain strong relationships with fabric mills and overseas agents. Organize and maintain fabric library.

Anthropologie, Assistant Designer,
Philadelphia, PA
January 2008 - current
Support accessories design department in recently launched, in house, private label shoe and hand bag business. Design styles using Illustrator and Photoshop. Assist in all areas of design including; technical design, labels and packaging, coloring, print design, embroidery/embellishment layouts, raw materials, custom hardware development, calendar planning, and allocations. Communicate with overseas factories daily. Close partnership, and collaboration with buying and production teams. Ongoing trend research through all forms of media and local shopping.

Anthropologie, Design Coordinator,
Philadelphia, PA
November 2006 - January 2008
Work as part of first tailored, and then casual wovens design team on women's jackets, bottoms, and outerwear. Liaison between design and product development. Develop wash standards seasonally for fabrics. Work off-site in local wash house with wash technicians to achieve desired hand feels. Assist with sourcing and development of fabrics, including woolens, denims, and other heavy weight wovens. Communicate with factories on a daily basis. Meet with fabric vendors and attend fabric trade shows. Schedule and attend weekly fittings. Attend design presentations, buyer's review, best and worst sellers, concept presentations. Schedule meetings between design, buying team, production, and art departments.

First Philadelphia Charter School, Basic Sewing Teacher,
Philadelphia, PA
September 2006 - December 2006
Teach basic sewing skills to adult students through grant funded adult development program. Weekly classes taught basics from threading the sewing machine through using a basic garment pattern.

Urban Outfitters, Inc., Production Clerk Temp,
Philadelphia, PA
August 2006 - November 2006
Assist sweaters and cut and sew knits production team within Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People labels. Update and maintain data in Production Tracking System. Create spreadsheets in Excel to track work in progress. Run reports based on shipping and receiving data. Receive and log-in production samples.

Designer/Quality Control Supervisor, Executive Apparel, Philadelphia, PA
February 2006 - June 2006
Designer for men and women's uniform/career apparel line. Designed staff uniforms for new $200 million development project for the Residences at Atlantis located in the Bahamas. Structured a previously non-existent design department. Updated traditional looks with a style conscious and trend driven fit, plus creating new concepts to introduce into the professional apparel industry. Responsible for researching trends, creating new designs using Illustrator, developing product with local sample room, communicating with contractors, and working with sales team on new concepts to meet customers' needs. In charge of checking quality of received orders, included approval or advising changes.

Associate Designer, Plugg Jeans, New York, NY
October 2005 - February 2006
Worked closely with head designer to develop junior denim bottoms and outerwear line. Draw flat sketches using Illustrator. Created tech packs, which include detail and fit specifications, topstitching and hardware information, and artwork for embroideries and silk-screen designs. Communicated with factories overseas. Shopped the local market for seasonal trends. Conducted fittings. Assisted in wash development and research.

Associate Designer, Mudd Jeans, New York, NY
February 2005 - October 2005
Collaborate with head designer to conceive women's denim bottoms and woven and knit tops for contemporary, premium denim collection, Piama. Travel abroad to oversee prototype manufacturing. Create flat sketches and tech packs on Illustrator. Comment on and approve design and wash samples, communicate with vendors overseas. Assisted designer on special couture denim line for exclusive Beverley Hills jeweler, Johnathon Arndt. Work with production team, sewers, and pattern makers. Research and execute fabric embellishment. Shop the market for style, fabric, and color trends. Approve fabric lab dips

Assistant Designer, Mudd Jeans, New York, NY
October 2003 - January 2005
Lead in all preparations for garments in juniors' line for monthly market week. Research fabric and trims. Complete flat sketches and CADs. Create embroidered designs using Photoshop and Illustrator. Attend weekly fittings. Design presentation boards for sales team. Create graphics for accessories, which were manufactured and sold. Meet and communicate with domestic and international vendors.

Intern, Daryl K, New York, NY
Summer 2002, March 2003, February 2005
Assisted designer in producing women's couture collection. Worked with local patternmakers and sewers. Organized and documented fabric collection. Experimented and manipulated fabric, through dying and bleaching techniques. Assisted in garment fittings. Sourced fabric and trims in New York's Garment District. Responsible for all duties in the absence of the designer. In February 2005, dressed models for runway show, during New York City's fashion week.

SKILLS
-Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, on both Macintosh and PC
-Skilled in hand knitting, crocheting, spinning yarn, and use of single bed knitting machine
-Practice embroidery, quilting, applique, and fiber dying techniques
-Create technical specifications
-Conceive design and pattern through draping techniques

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-2006, Member of jury at New York state's Sheep and Wool Festival
-2005, First place; New York state's Sheep and Wool Festival's "Make It Yourself With Wool" competition
-2003, Don E. Breitinger Award, for best overall student designer, VCU fashion department
-2002 & 2003, Chosen to exhibit garments and illustration in Anderson Gallery, two years
-2001 & 2002, Selected two years for juried university fashion show, and Wearable Art fashion show and auction
-Participated in four juried art shows for painting and embroidery works
-Created as a team, designs, production patterns, and samples garments for a line to be manufactured in India for their economic aid