Biography
Melissa is an Assistant Professor in the Fashion Studies Department. Melissa teaches courses such as Trendspotting, Law for Creatives: Fashion, and Professional Practice.
Melissa has written and presented in the areas of cultural appropriation and the changing power structures in the fashion industry, professional development, and experiential learning at corporate conferences such as Degreed LENS and at academic conferences such as the DesignEd Asia Conference at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Melissa's industry background includes serving at the Director of Fashion Arts and Events for the City of Chicago, executive producer for the city's fashion week, and developing and launching the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Driehaus Design Initiative, the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy's on State Street, and the Executive Committee of the Chicago History Museum’s Costume Council.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Indiana University and a Juris Doctor from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law: Indiana University. After practicing law for seven years, Melissa returned to school and obtained a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Fashion Marketing and Management from the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago.
Instructional Areas
Law, ethics, and trends in the fashion industry. Experiential learning and professional development.
Creative Practice and Research Interests
Ethics of practice and systems in the fashion industry including issues around social and environmental justice, intellectual property, and cultural appropriation.
Degrees
B.A., Fashion Marketing and Management Indiana University 1993
J.D., Indiana University 1996