Port folio
Mae Woelfle
Fashion Design | Bespoke Tailoring | Fashion Management
IT`S ON.
TIME TO MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN
INTERNSHIP @HUGO BOSS / page 2
RANGE PLANNING / page 3
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT / page 4
SUSTAINABILITY LIVE PROJECT / page 5
CUSTOMER PROFILE / page 6
TREND PREDICTION / page 7
FASHION DESIGN / page 8
BESPOKE TAILORING / page 9
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN / page 10
COUTURE COLLECTION / page 11
MARKETING MIX / page 12
WCONTENT CREATION / page 13
CORPORATE DESIGN / page 14
VOLUNTEER AT WHITE ROSE / page 15
PERSONAL STYLING / page 16
PEDAGOGICAL REPORT / page 17
CONTACT / page 18
gaining work experience
During my year-long placement at the HUGO BOSS headquarters, I gained invaluable hands-on experience in a dynamic, global business environment. This internship allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world projects, refine my professional skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the fashion industry’s inner workings. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, I was able to expand my network, improve my problem-solving abilities, and enhance my communication skills, all of which have significantly boosted my confidence and prepared me for future career opportunities.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
• Prepare and participate in sketch hand overs, including helping to prepare product specification sheets and entering product information into the PLM & Costing system.
• Being in charge for sample management and archiving, including sorting of old seasons prototypes to prepare them to be sold in the outlets as well as organising the sample archive by collecting and returning samples as needed by pattern makers, developers and designers but also replacing old and broken hangers/signage.
• Assist the team with the weekly fitting process by setting up the agenda, meetings and reminders. Preparing the fitting area, sample and toll needed, and writing the protocol and comments as well as taking pictures during the fittings. Afterwards updating the sample status, as well as the vendors comments and measurements changes.
• Assist with the prototyping process from sending and receiving garments, trimmings, fabrics & tools from various international vendors, completing pre-fitting preparation such as unpacking, ironing, measuring and sorting samples to also create sewing test/ mock-up by sewing or cutting and assembling paper pattern or simulated 3D mock-ups.
• Checking samples and writing samples requests by updating product specification sheets, tech packs, costing sheets, material lists and care instructions as well as requesting changes from vendors for production releases - under supervision from product developers
• Fulfilling office management tasks, like refilling office supplies, setting up meetings and sending out deadline reminders.
Intership @Hugo Boss
Responsible for the weekly collection performance reporting for the EMEA Buying Team to prepare for the weekly trade meetings with buying, planning and merchandising and other stakeholders of the business Run ad-hoc reports and analysing the performance based on KPIs and proposing actions to relive stock levels and maximise sales
Setting up assortment analysis reports and collection presentations during the buying process to support the buyers
Investigating the market environment by conducting competitor, trend, industry and product research for general and specific product analysis // certified EDITED & WGSN user
Support during market input process for the upcoming collection development: EMEA market needs and business must-haves by product group, investigating competitors and potentional inspiration for future collection, advising on business needs bearing in mind efficiency targets and customer profiling
Supporting during the collection order phase by being responsible for entering orders whilst ensuring accuracy and dealing with time pressure
Distributing replenishment quantities on articles based on the current performance within the EMEA stores to boost Net Sales and cater to market opportunities
Proposing an adjusted assortment and order qualities for the Hugo Boss VIP Store – aligning with the buyers on the proposal and entering the order into the SAP system.
» With a Hugo Boss internship you become part of the team. You will get a lot of training, a personal mentor/supervisor and after 6 months you will be fully prepared and ready to start into a full time role.
Contribute towards many interesting collaborations: Swarovski, Fortnite, Porsche, Aston Martin, Naomi Campbell and David Beckham, …
You can daily use one of the 4 cafeterias, gym (+ sports classes), employee store, weekly afterwork events, trainings and talks on the campus.
You work with very young and open-minded, international teams, with employees from all over the world and the office language is English.
Monthly payment of 1250€, reduced lunch prices and Hugo Boss articles from the VIP shop. Plus access to an employee fabric and sample sale.
Every 6 months about 150 new interns arrive. There are many regular meet ups and events, so there is a very welcoming and big interns’ community. You can do two 6 months internships with different teams/ departments, and it is very easy to get a second role of you choice! And they are known to offer fulltime jobs to every intern, who does well.
While learning and working you are able to participate in many events for example: the BOSS Open tennis tournament, Oktoberfest, Formular 1 launch, annual ski-trip, epic Christmas & summer party and many more.
did the Boss Black SP25 and SU25 buy for the VIP Store and the SU25 buy for all Boss Orange stores (both having million euro budgets, under supervision of the senior buyer)
Next year my selection will be displayed in a European Boss stores and concession lines!
Range Planning
combining buying, merchadising and product development in one report
This report was part of a live project for my university degree in cooperation with an American outerwear brand wanting to expand into the UK and German market.
Me and my team member explored the market and competition, the consumer, the products, the sizing and trends by conduction secondary and primary research, to come up with a feasible range of outerwear suitable for an expansion into new European markets, identifying the details which need adjustments on the product and marketing to meet the new demands.
TABLE OF MEASUREMENTS
attention to every little detail
Having a ready-made garment to analyse made me realise how many small decisions need to be made and how big of an impact on sourcing, costing, and manufacturing it will have. Communication is a vital part for success but also detailed CAD technical drawings, lot´s of descriptions, and the use of standardised industry language minimise mistakes and revisions, making the work more time and cost efficient. Excellent textile knowledge and the passion to always keep up to date with new innovations helped me a lot to further develop my product skills.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
Product Development
This reports intention is to assess my product, textiles, and manufacturing knowledge by analysing all details of an already finished garment, realising how many decisions must be made to end up with a best-selling garment and how minor misunderstandings with other people working on the product can have major impacts on time and costs. The product is an important part in the fashion industry and needs to be exactly right to generate as much profit as possible for the retailer.
SOURCING
CRITICAL PATH
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
Sustainability Live Project
"Sustainability in Practice" group presentation
This presentation is the outcome of my groups sustainability in practice project tailored for the childrenswear brand Frugi. The task was to come up with a product or process for a new and innovative, but most importantly sustainable option to incorporate in their already existing business/ product range.
"Fix Frugi" - multiuse patch set
The sustainable product idea came to life after a close look at the current business strategy from Frugi and an in-depth analysis of the current sustainable fashion market. In combination with the Sustainable Development Goals by the UN and research on fashion environmental impact, the need to focus on elongating a products life cycle and the option of repair is a great opportunity to gain advantages to the business competitors.
For easy at home repairs the first thing that comes in mind are patches, especially for children’s wear. People have used them for centuries as a quick, cheap, and easy way to fix holes, stains, or points of high pressure to make a garment wearable again. With the rise of fast fashion, the cheap costs of a new garment and less time to fix things it has become a habit of throwing away clothing articles. And with today’s critical society, parents are ashamed of the need to fix things, since it will look like there is no money to buy a new one and the child might get a stigma of poverty. Most of the time the problem is for parents the availability of patches that match the clothing, making it blend with the overall design and getting a unique look rather than a repaired one.
"Fix Frugi" is a small range of patches in different sizes and patterns coming with every collection, available to purchase or within a loyalty program.
Production and cost should not be a problem since the motives are already designed and prepared for the applications in the main collection anyway, and for machinery as well as materials the same can be used, saving time and money to invest for a marketing campaign to educate the customers of the availability and usage of the patches. The left-over material of the garments can be utilised this way and less waste will be created.
by Mae Woelfle
Customer Profile
the John Lewis womenswear customer
To build a successful range a defined target market will help to better understand the customers lifestyles, motivation and a deep insight into their shopping habits and needs. The profiles are a balanced mix of observations, demographic facts, psychographic information as well as a current affairs consideration. This pen profile was built based on observations, surveys, John Lewis data and customer interviews to come up with the fictitious customer "Amanda" who epitomises their actual consumer.
Market Overview
Market Overview
Reading,
Favourite
Clothing
Buying
applying trend research to a range for a specific customer
To get a good selling range the pen profile must be combined with the trend prediction in order to produce an on trend range fitted for the customer by making decisions on how to break down high fashion trends and make them wearable within their life. Price, performance, style preferences, trend adoption and buying motives must be matched, so a customer who does not actually need more clothing wants to buy and wear the new collection. Trend Prediction:
Trend II: "Japandi"
# natural symplicity
# fused minimalism
# comfortable innovation
#everyday decandance
#functional minimalism
Colour and Pattern
Directions
Using references from WGSN´s Women´s Colour Forecast S/S stating "natural and nostalgic tones will continue to hold sway, and so will upbeat, celebratory bights, responding to the need for optimism and stability", while considering the preferences of the customer and current best-selling colours, this colour scheme was created. Combining warm natural summer colours with several neutral cooling tones adding freshness.
The "palette provides the base for timeless year-round colour... offering a more responsible and sustainable approach to colour development, ensuring fabric stock can be used beyond one season, which will reduce waste and lower the environmental impact of the dyeing process," (WGSN, 2021) by combining warm natural summer colours with several neutral cooling tones adding freshness.
#mirror pattern
Graphic but organic imagery in black with a transparent background and adding a geometric look by mirroring the pattern in every direction, using the human preference of symmetry as a tool to calm down (Dave Mullen, 2017), but making it exiting with detailing and the use of a large repeat.
SS 23 Womenswear for John Lewis
& Pattern
This project displays combined primary and secondary trend research collected throughout various sources, from fabric fairs, comp shop trips and presentations from the leading trend prediction companies tailored specifically to the John Lewis customer as a must-have capsule collection for the next season. Included are the Zeitgeist, key directions, a colour pallet with a self-made signature print, material, and silhouette analysis as well as detail and styling advice, with some aspirational highlights and the key must-have garments.
#11-4800 TCX
#18-6018 TCX
fog eucalyptus sand beige
#14-1208 TCX
earth - metallic shimmers
#20-0030 TCX
pearl white
#11-0103 TCX
summer sky
#12-4207 TCX
deep black
#19-4203 TCX
Trend Prediction
Colour
Directions of the Japand Trend written by Mae Woelfle
#natural
#sense
Fashion Design
mini collection based on trend reseach
This project was part of my fashion design studies, focusing on creating a collection for a premium market and a given trend forecast by the "DMI - Deutsches Modeinstitut" and considering a specific target customer. The shown visuals are extracts from the whole report and are all done by myself from translating the trend reseach up to the finalised tech packs.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
single pattern piece and final fabric print ready to be printed onto fabcis
CAD skills
This project also reflects my skills regarding the Adobe Creative Cloud and Office:
- Photoshop: moodboards are created and colour corrected
- Illustrator: used for technical drawings
- InDesign: Layouts, putting together written pieces and visuals
- Excel: preparing the tech packs
- Word: Writing and correcting the reports
- PowerPoint: Presenting the collection to the class
digital drawing process
For my quick inital scribbes I prefer hand sketches, which I then scan and refine to presentation illustrations in Adobe Photoshop. Colours, prints and fabrics get added and I continue my digital drawings using a wacom tablet, to add details and depth.
Bespoke Tailoring
client based examination project
This page showcases the evolution of my master degree project. The task was to sew 3 pieces: a coulotte, a blouse and a short blazer for our client, including special details like hand stiched buttonholes and at least 3 pockets, all to sew, fit and finish within the examination period of two weeks. To pass the exam the suit had to be completly perfect with not one mistake, including a documentation, calcultion and invoice. My preparation included research in trends and my clients preferences as well as sourcing the perfect materials for my needs.
Moodboard
Recherche
Skribble
2. Anprobe
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
award and ceremony
With my exams and my practical projects, both graded as exellent, I got awarded by the German chamber of skilled craft as best of the year county wide.
I got invited for the offical ceremony with the raising of the masters and an interview about my project, which was live broadcasted due to covid regulations. Website (german): https://www.hwk-stuttgart.de/ artikel/meisterfeier-2020-der-abend-in-bildern-und-
mens tailoring
And even when my degree was foucsed on womenswear tailoring, we also had to learn how to sew a mens jacket with the classical techniques, including all inlays, piqued lapels and handstiched lining.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
Experimental Design
creative fashion design project with an artistic approach
Exploring the creative possibilities within fashion without a thought about a brand, customers or money involved. Starting the inspiration from a song called "Una Mattina" by Ludovico Einaudi, creating a mood and brainstorming words, exploring sculpural and technical ideas, developing silhouettes by collaging and bringing everthing together to a collection.
"hidden deep inside"
This collection focuses about my idea of mental landscapes in somebodys mind and how the balance between calm and peaceful thoughts could look like in contrast to the chaotic and scary feelings inside us.
While the calm side is visualised by lightweight fabrics blown in the air and fluid looking material, as a presentation of smooth waters and quiet places, the uneasy side is shown in stiff and hard fabrics with a lot of volume, a contrasting print and some organic forms with sharp ends The combination of them will never be exactly equal, so I decided to go for asymmetrical silhouettes.
To find a balance people can live with, I included the image of the roots for growth and grounding of mental stages. As well as some hardend parts, which act like an armor to protect yourself, from whatever will come up in further life, and the lights to brighten up the darkness in the shadows, to symbolise the strenght to look for the good things, even in the worst situations.
D
Die Seelenhuterin ie Seelenhüterin
[ The Soul Herder ]
Couture Collection
tulle gown and corset experimentation
It started with a cinderella tulle gown, which I created when I had a lot of time in lockdown and then my inital idea evolved over the past year into a small tulle couture collection. I used the time to explore and progress my skills in traditional sewing techniques including embroidery and corset making.
All skirts and tops are seperate and combinable with each other, to easily change and create more variations of the outfits.
Portfolio
by Mae Woelfle
work and materials involved
The dresses contain about 1500m of 3m wide soft tulle in 7 different shades and took about 700 hours of sewing. The printed fabric used on differnt fabrics is also designed by myself and got printed onto the fabrics of my choice. Some pieces are hand embellished with thousands of pearls and beads.
analysis of Ted Baker´s current marketing mix and suggestions for development options
The aim of this academic report is to demonstrate and apply key principles of the fashion marketing mix and fashion business strategies in relation to different aspects of the current and future global fashion industry development by focusing on the 2 of the 4 P´s with the greatest development potential.
This extract showcases my Adobe Creative Cloud and Excel software skills as well as the critical analysis of current business practices and interpretation of data, moreover ability to work with industry standard resources and conducting my own primary research.
Content Creation
assistant for content creation at several photoshoots
Helping to create digital content for a friend, who just started a bridalwear brand. I participated in her first two photoshoots as a videographer and content creator, while the account itself is managed by a social media marketeer, I was in charge of taking videos on the photoshoot day, as well as getting the raw clips into final edited and cut reels ready to get posted.
For the beginning they chose to focus on the clothing and brand aesthetic, rather than actual marketing, so we kept all content more traditional, until the final website will go live.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maikejulianew/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maikejulianew
my private social media accounts
My private social media accounts still focus very much on my work. Since I do not like to share my private life, I decided to dedicate them to my current and previous sewing projects, interesting sewing tips and information and to stay in contact with my online network interested in fashion. I use different apps to plan my grid, colour coordination and texts as well as simple video editing software to cut some clips.
Corporate Design
fictional branding for my graduate collection
Big part of my graduate project was not only to design and sew a collection, but also to present it professionally. So I created this branding concept around it. Starting with a brand name and mission, a complete corporate design, visual merchandising concept and ending with the final catwalk show, where I also was part of the organisation team.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wurkyC8-UFg
creating a brand look
While developing and reseaching, I also wanted to create this bigger picture, to present my intentions and the purpose of the collection to my audience. For the start I focused heavily on the initial promotion for this collection. My logo, the key is also featured in the designs and easy recognisable, other than the distinct but changing fabric prints.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
from broken to fixed
making an impact
Often, it’s the small things that make a garment unwearable again, and no matter how expensive a garment was, all of them can break over time and usage. My fashion design and tailoring skills help to come up with the most time and cost efficient ways to fix something. Often shortening a garment can help remove a hole at the hem, a tailoring stitch can make a new closure loop, or a missing button can be attached.
Jeans that are too old or broken to be repaired will be upcycled into patchwork bags, utilising as much of the good fabric as possible.
by
Volunteer at White Rose
upcycling and repair seamstress
During term time I volunteer in the upcycling and repair department of the charity shop White Rose, offering lovingly hand-picked recycled clothes; men’s recycled fashion, women’s recycled fashion and kids recycled fashion. My role requires to repair, amend, or fix branded donations to make them able to be sold again or make them even more valuable than before.
Portfolio
Mae Woelfle
client analysis
Knowing, combining and using the principles of colour coordination, working with the given body shape and not against them, focusing on the prefered features, appealing some visual rules, including the clients taste and style preferences all with in the budget - personal styling can help clients to find the right balance, get them the assurance from a professional that their looks enhance their features and personalty, to go more comfortable through life. With the help of moodboard and visuals, sometimes even including a wardrobe audit gives more then enough information for the client to be useful for his entire life.
Personal Styling
making a person feel as confident as possible
It does not matter if a client wants a complete body and wardrobe analysis or just need some help with an outfit for a specific occation, clothing and styling hold more power then most people assume. Looks can change how a person feels about herself, how she appeals and interacts with others, but to find the right pieces and combining them together in the given budget and for the needed occation, is not an easy task, especcialy when you are not particularly interested in these topics.
Portfolio by Mae Woelfle
topics covered in the report
The task was to teach a student the basics on how to sew frilles in a 30 minute time frame, while the report focuses on the applied principles and why I chose them, including the students abilities at the point of teaching, the execution of the tutorial, the needed preparations, materials, as well as the learning goals and follow-up tasks.
mjw@dg-email.de