NET Nights at Moore: Interview with Melanie Bergwall

NET Nights at Moore

A new program for students and graduates of local art and design colleges to network with peers and heads of area business associations and arts organizations as well as build relationships with other young professionals.

These lively evenings feature guest speakers, workshops and seminars designed to help Philadelphia artists and designers make creative contacts in our community.

Presented by The Galleries at Moore in cooperation with The Locks Career Center and Moore’s new Business Scholars in the Arts student leadership program.

2010-11 NET Nights at Moore are supported by Your Part-Time Controller and Moore College of Art & Design.

2009-10 NET Nights at Moore were supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Business Scholars in the Arts (BSA)

The Business Scholars in the Arts is a new program at Moore College of Art & Design that supports a select group of transfer students. The program supplements the students’ art and design training with business-related experiences outside of the classroom. Our group is particularly interested in entrepreneurship. We encompass a wide range of majors, from Graphic, Fashion, and Interior Design, to Illustration, Art History, and Art Education.

Our goal is to acquire the skills necessary to network within the professional art world, which will ultimately aid us in opening our own businesses or taking on leadership roles in a company or organization. The first year of the Business Scholars program stresses this networking process. To that end, we have established a collaborative relationship with the Galleries at Moore to provide support for NET Nights. These lively evenings feature guest speakers, workshops and seminars designed to help Philadelphia artists and designers make creative contacts in our community.

The purpose of this blog is to continue the conversations started at NET Nights and to provide resources that will enable emerging artists and designers to profit from the expertise of the speakers. Look to our blog for our interviews with speakers, our suggestions for interesting upcoming events and links to useful web-sites.

The BSA Students:

Laura Bonvini

Amber Callahan

Melissa Chancer

Amanda Corropolese

Samantha Edmonds

Christine Ferri

Chriztie Kaufmann

Sara Stanton

Haoren Yu

NET Nights Advisory Committee

The NET Nights Advisory Committee is comprised of local artists, designers, curators and arts administrators, business professionals, professors and students from various disciplines and backgrounds. NET Nights programs are the product of thoughtful discussions between these committee members, sharing ideas, insights and suggestions to stimulate new relationships and networking between emerging artists and designers and business and arts professionals in Philadelphia.

Click here for Advisory Committee Blog

Moore Alumna ’08 and creator of Meljoy, an artworks/graphics studio, Melanie Bergwall is also a full-time designer for Urban Outfitters and in the past has worked as a freelance designer for companies such as Victoria’s Secret and Reef Inc. Melanie began her freelance work during her undergraduate career and since then has continued to expand her business and brand of graphics and design work in and around Philadelphia. Melanie was interviewed by BSA student Amer Callahan.

What attracted you to want to major in Textile Design rather than Fashion Design?

MB: I was always interested in both fashion/textiles. I just realized I was more interested in surface design/pattern—in what was actually going to go onto the garment instead of the actual construction of it.

While at Moore majoring in Textiles, did you have to apply for an internship? If so, who did you work for?

MB: Yes, I did internships every year in between school. One company in New York City, Oxford Industries, and 3 others in Philadelphia here—Free People, Printfresh design studio and Urban Outfitters.

After you graduated Moore, did you start up meljoy.com right away? Also, was it difficult to find jobs you were interested in?

MB:I started meljoy.com while I was still in school because I learned early the significance of getting your work out there and networking, and having a website is a very good way of doing that. No, I was offered my job while I was still in school, and interned part time before I graduated.

What was your most favorite job you’ve done so far in your career?

MB:All of my jobs have been wonderful, and I have learned a significant amount from them all. I don’t have one particular favorite.

You probably get this question a lot, but what was it like working for Victoria’s Secret and Urban Outfitters?

MB:Urban Outfitters is amazing. Victoria’s Secret was a lot of fun also.

You mentioned at NET NIGHTS that you did not like working up in New York. What didn’t you like about it?

MB: I just like Philadelphia more—the scene, the people, being close to family friends and being able to have a car and drive. That can't happen in New York. Pretty simple.

Where do you find inspiration to get ideas from to start on upcoming projects?

MB: I find inspiration in just about anything. It depends what I am trying to be inspired to do.

What are you currently working on?

MB: Too much! Full time job, freelancing graphics for hardgoods/packaging for a company, my website amongst a few other projects.

What advice would you give to an upcoming student who is majoring in Textiles or even Fashion Design?

MB: My advice would be: having an easy attitude, being personable yet sticking to what you really believe in, being able to talk about your work, justify it, putting in 110%, going that extra mile on everything and being able to adapt to change at the drop of a dime because in this industry it happens all the time.

Linkbar