MEGAN ILLGNER
Technical Seamstress / Bespoke Clothing Designer
megan@sbseamstress.com
Education
University of California, Santa Barbara
April 2023 -September 2024 (estimated), Santa Barbara, California
Graduate Certificate, Legal Assistant / Paralegal
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
Spring 2016, Santa Barbara, California
Self-Employment Training – 14-week course providing week-by-week training in the most important aspects of organizing, financing, marketing and managing a small business. Participants leave the course with a complete business plan to manage the business and/or apply for funding.
The University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Visual Communication, emphasis in Graphic Design
Visual Communication Designers shape the information that everybody sees, uses and experiences. The Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design) program at KU prepares students for current professional demands and provides students with the fundamental design thinking, making and process skills required to build a rewarding career and facilitate life-long learning.
Work Experience
Technical Seamstress / Bespoke Clothing Designer – Santa Barbara Seamstress
April 2015 – Present, Santa Barbara, California
Small Business Owner. Expansion of private commissions. Research and development of bespoke clothing. Specialize in apparel design while taking on a variety of sewing projects including prototypes for items to be manufactured.
Food and Beverage Associate – Santa Barbara Bowl
April 2014 – present (8 seasons) Santa Barbara, California
Serving wine and beer at an outdoor music venue while providing friendly hospitality to guests. Fun side job! Began working with the SB Bowl in 2014 as a volunteer and transitioned into employment position.
Alterations Specialist – Ace Rivington
January 2018 – April 2021, Santa Barbara, california
Tailor denim jeans to perfectly fit customers at a Mens and Womens Fashion Boutique.
Bridal Alterations Specialist – The Dress
April 2017 – November 2018, Santa Barbara, California
High-end alterations. Take wedding dresses apart and reconstruct them to custom fit the bride-to-be. Precision sewing and symmetrical adjustments. Knowledge of fine fabrics and and complex garment construction.
Occasionally help with dress sales. Narrow the selection of potential dresses based on wedding atmosphere and which style best suits individual body type. Gently guide brides through the decision-making process by highlighting a number of factors and pointing them towards their best match.
Editorial Designer – Santa Barbara Independent
March 2016 – May 2017, Santa Barbara, California
Graphic Design. Create double pages spreads with Adobe InDesign for a weekly newspaper.
Manager, Graphic Designer – SOhO Restaurant & Music Club
October 2012 – June 2016, Santa Barbara, California
Manage a team of 20 employees. Ensure that the night club is operating safely and profitably. Oversee security, control cash, supervise operations. Cover any front of house position as needed.
Responsible for graphic design output. Design flyers for upcoming shows. Design monthly calendars. Use Photoshop and InDesign to create promotional material.
Freelance Website Development & Graphic Design
March 2012 – June 2015, Santa Barbara, California
WordPress Customization: Consultation and implementation of design, layout and navigation.
Freelance Design: Print and Digital Design including: logos, brochures, flyers, menus, and websites
Graphic Design Portfolio: coroflot.com/megner
Sign Artist – Trader Joe’s
October 2012 – September 2014, Santa Barbara, CA
Responsible for daily design, illustration, maintenance of handmade shelf tags, informational chalkboards, and special projects with rapid turnaround.
Alternate Language Teacher – Interac
March 2013 – March 2014, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
Language instructor and cultural ambassador in Japan. Created lesson plans and taught 20-25 lessons each week. Taught at 6 elementary schools and 1 junior high school. Participated in extracurricular activities with students.
Volunteer Work
Face Mask Prototype & Development – Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade
April – July 2020, Santa Barbara, California
Develop and refine face mask designs for COVID-19 safety. Laser cut templates for other volunteers to use.
Seamstress – Memorial Blankets
November 2011 – Present, Santa Barbara, California
Transform clothing from the deceased by creating memorial blankets for the surviving loved ones. Hand sewn custom blankets which memorialize and celebrate the lost life. A gift offered to support those experiencing grief.
Community
Fishbon Arts Collaborative
2015 – Present, Santa Barbara, California
Non-profit arts incubator. Board Member / Advisory Board depending on the year. Artists, engineers, designers, and creators collaborate on projects that explore the imagination and expand the creative repertoire.