


Welcome Packet
You have arrived at the home of our online Welcome Packet, which will provide you with important information that will allow you to make the most out of our work together.


Welcome Packet
You have arrived at the home of our online Welcome Packet, which will provide you with important information that will allow you to make the most out of our work together.


Welcome Packet
You have arrived at the home of our online Welcome Packet, which will provide you with important information that will allow you to make the most out of our work together.


Welcome Packet
You have arrived at the home of our online Welcome Packet, which will provide you with important information that will allow you to make the most out of our work together.
Launch Your Collection
Launch Your Collection
Launch Your Collection
LaunchYour Collectio
LaunchYour Collectio
LaunchYour Collectio
WRITTEN BY THE LAUNCH YOUR COLLECTION FOUNDER,
BECOMING A FASHION DESIGNER (WILEY) IS THE DEFINITIVE
GO-TO BOOK FOR ALL ASPIRING FASHION DESIGNERS













L
MEET THE LAUNCH
YOUR COLLECTION TEAM


LISA LIVES WITH HER HUSBAND, JOE AND SON, PRESTON (WHO IS ALMOST 2 YEARS OLD) IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.
Lisa Springsteel Dupre, Founder and CEO
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Lisa is the founder and CEO of Launch Your Collection and the author of the book, Becoming a Fashion Designer (Wiley), which published worldwide in English in 2013, and has since been translated in two languages -- Mandarin (2015) and Arabic (2019).
She manages and oversees the entire launch process for all clients in our emerging, established, and bespoke (celebrities and public figures) apparel brand divisions.
She earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising from Florida State University and she is a 19-year New York fashion industry veteran who has worked at the corporate headquarters of Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and J. Mendel. She has a wide range of experience in the areas of fashion design, merchandising, product development, fabric and trim research, development, and sourcing, sample development and production, branding, sales, promotion, and marketing.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
While at Ralph Lauren, she was one of the few who was honored to be in design meetings with Ralph and learned directly from one of the top designers of all time. She was also the Fabric and Trim Manager for J. Mendel, responsible for researching, sourcing, and purchasing fabric for four seasonal New York Fashion Week runway collections per year, celebrity clientele for various editorials and red carpet events, all for all wholesale account and retail locations around the world.
She was personally hired by Sean Combs to be his fabric director for the Fall 2018 Sean John New York Fashion Week show, while simultaneously being filmed for the MTV documentary, If I Were King. Oscar de la Renta once asked her to present original designs and illustrations for his Spring 2002 runway show.
FOCUS AREA
As founder and CEO, Lisa manages and oversees the entire launch process for every LYC client. Her goal is to make the complex process of launching an apparel brand easy by creating a seamless and fun, collaborative educational experience, from kick-off, to launch, and beyond.
FAVORITES
Fashion Designers: Elie Saab
Travel Destinations: Versailles, Amalfi Coast
Flowers: Peony, Ranuculus, English Cottage Rose
Season: Spring
Dog Breed: Labradoodle
Football Teams: Florida State Seminoles & N.C. Panthers
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NICOLE LIVES WITH IN MIAMI, FLORIDA WITH HER 6-YEAR-OLD SON
Nicole Melendez, Director of Technical Design
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Born and raised in Ponte, Puerto Rico, Nicole moved to New York and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with degrees in both fashion design and fashion merchandising.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Nicole is a creative thinker and a results oriented fashion industry professional with sharp skills in designing and developing trend-focused women's sportswear and knitwear with a high rate of product adoption. Additionally, she has a successful track record as a technical designer and patternmaker. Nicole is the winner of the ELLE + Byco Design Challenge. Recently, she has leveled up her technical skills with 3D design.
FOCUS AREA
Nicole joined Launch Your Collection in 2022, and as our in-housediretor of technical design. She works with our emerging fashion brand clients to understand the vision they have for their styles and uses her in-depth technical skills to create their tech packs. She also conducts virtual fittings for our clients during the sample stage, which involves leading each fit session, taking fit notes, and submitting the fit comments to the factory until sample approval. She also works with established fashion brands and was recently hired by Lululemon for an ongoing project through her company, Habito Group. Nicole has been aiding various apparel brands in their growth and development since 2012.
FAVORITES
Fashion Designers: Ann Demeulemeester & Haider Ackermann
Travel Destinations: Antwerp, Buenos Aires, Marrakesh, Prague
Flowers: Miniature white roses
Seasons: Summer & Fall
Books: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Jump by Kim Perell
Cocktail: Prosecco
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EMILENY LIVES WITH HER SON AND DAUGHTER JUST OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY IN NEW JERSEY.
Emileny Gonzalez, Technical Design Director
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
She studied fashion design at an early age while attending the prestigious High School of Fashion Industries in New York. After graduation, she earned an AAS degree in Patternmaking Technology and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Emileny is unique in that she is a trained expert in technical design, but has a diverse background in many different areas of the fashion industry, including fashion design, product development, production, and graphic design. She has worked at the New York corporate headquarters of Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Escada, and has completed technical design projects for Lululemon Athletica, as well as big box retailers such as Macy's.
FOCUS AREA
Since the start of Launch Your Collection in 2012, Emileny has been our in-house technical design director. She is also a freelance technical designer in New York for a variety of top fashion houses and apparel manufacturers. Emileny's focus area at Launch Your Collection is to bring our client's vision to life by creating a technical package that represents the client's designs, both aesthetically and technically and represents an accurate roadmap of the client samples to ensure a smooth transition in the sample making process.
FAVORITES
Fashion Designer: Oscar de la Renta
Travel Destination: Mexico
Favorite Color: Pink
Flowers: Peony
Season: Spring
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BRUCE LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY
IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
Bruce Walters, Costing Manager
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Bruce is the Costing Expert at Launch Your Collection (LYC) and is also an educator, consultant to fashion entrepreneurs, and a real estate broker.
He studied electrical engineering in college, but always had an interest in fashion design from an early age. In high school, his mother bought him a sewing machine and he designed and created his first pair of pants, which he wore to school. When he noticed how many of his friends wanted their own pair, he knew he was on to something. After graduating from college and participating in the annual fashion show on campus, his following grew and he decided to move to Los Angeles, which is where he started his consulting business.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Being able to help so many emerging fashion brands launch successful businesses is Bruce's career highlight.
FOCUS AREA
Bruce's goal is to train Launch Your Collection clients on the fundamentals of costing, so that they gain a thorough understanding of the costing process. He designed the costing worksheet tool and created the video module that are used in the costing training process.
FAVORITES
Fashion Designers: Versace
Travel Destination: Anywhere in Italy
Favorite Color: Blue
Season: Spring
Football Team: Philadelphia Eagles
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Mary Bridgman, Fashion Illustrator
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Coming soon
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Coming soon
FOCUS AREA
Coming soon
FAVORITES
Fashion Designers:
Travel Destination:
Favorite Color:
Season:
Flower:
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Kristen Palese, Brand Designer & Fashion Illustrator
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Coming soon
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Coming soon
FOCUS AREA
Coming soon
FAVORITES
Fashion Designers:
Travel Destination:
Favorite Color:
Season:
Flower: