Alumni

Fashion Knitwear Grad is a Knit Designer at Skechers

Fashion Knitwear Design Graduate Cynthia McMullen keeps busy as a Knit Designer at Manhattan Beach, California-based Skechers. "The footwear upper can be created out of many types of knits and I work with all of them," she says. "I understand the knitted structure which helps communication with vendors."

In her role, Cynthia works with technicians and developers to create innovation textiles for footwear applications. She engages with designers to spark new ideas and help make concepts into reality and collaborates with the color teams and merchandisers to communicate with vendors on colorways and new knitted patterns. "My typical day is every day is different," she says.

Prior to joining Skechers in 2016, she worked as at the sock company, Renfro, as an Assistant Product Developer for Knitwear at Nordstrom in Seattle. She says FIDM helped prepare her with the necessary skills for a career in the fashion industry. "I learned technical design, color combos and looking at patterns, stitch structures, and fabric creation," she says. "I liked the hands-on experience with yarn and textiles. It was a chance to be as creative as I wanted."

Categories:  Fashion Knitwear Design Alumni