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About Me

I am Tyler Christensen, Alumni from Central Washington University. I’ve developed into an Apparel Design & Merchandising student with hands-on experience across the full product lifecycle—from concept development and tech packs to garment construction and fit refinement. I have a strong foundation in trend research, brand storytelling, and retail merchandising, and I’m able to translate creative ideas into commercially viable products.

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Some of my strongest skills include Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, garment construction, attention to detail, merchandising, tech pack development, and Excel. I take initiative, lead by example, and bring a strong sense of responsibility to everything I do. I’m adaptable, open to feedback, and willing to respectfully challenge ideas when needed to improve outcomes.

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My experience includes internships in print/advertising and product development, as well as merchandising roles where I analyzed business analytics and sales performance. I’ve also gained leadership experience through the Student Fashion Association, the CWU Fashion Show, and working as a student intern at a fashion industry conference.

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What sets me apart is my focus on sustainability, especially through upcycling older garments into new, refreshed designs. I bring a well-rounded perspective with both a fashion major and a business minor, allowing me to understand both the creative and strategic sides of the industry. I view fashion as constantly evolving—you have to be adaptable, take initiative, and bring fresh ideas. Clear communication of your skills and identity is key, along with having direction while staying flexible.

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I also delegate my free time to things like music, hockey, golf, rock climbing, and constantly looking for my next project to work on, and ways to advance my career. I've been playing the trumpet since 6th grade and have been heavily involved in marching, and pep bands for 11 years. I grew up in a hockey family, which is my favorite sport, and I picked up golf in 7th grade, and rock climbing my freshman year of college.

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My personal interests also connect to my work. I enjoy sports like hockey, golf, and rock climbing, which all require teamwork and attention to detail. I also play the trumpet and have participated in marching and pep band, where I’ve led groups for two years—strengthening my leadership, creative direction, and problem-solving skills.

Education

Central Washington University 2022 - 2026

Ellensburg WA

  • Student Fashion Association Club Officer

  • Fashion Show Designer/Model/Production

  • Current GPA of 3.44

Courses

  • Fashion Line Development

  • Merchandising and Buying

  • Consumer Textiles

  • Advanced Fashion Design

  • Basic Sewing Techniques

  • IT (Excel)

  • Digital Presentation Techniques

  • Style Principles: Body to Store

  • Consumer textiles

  • Fashion Show Production

  • ATM Internship

  • Business Management

  • Marketing Principles

  • Micro & Macro Economics

  • Accounting Skills For Non Accounting Majors

 

Technical Skills

  • Adobe Illustrator & photoshop

  • Tech packs

  • line & spec sheets

  • garment Construction

  • Fabric & color theory

  • Pattern & Print

  • Microsoft Excel

  • Word

  • Powerpoint

  • Canva

Core Strengths

  • Trend research

  • Concept development

  • Product development

  • Cross-functional collaboration

  • Fast-paced execution

  • Team player

  • Go-getter mindset

  • Adaptable to change

  • Able to take criticism

Why CWU & ATM?

I was initially drawn to the ATM program after speaking with current fashion students at a club fair. Hearing about their collections and hands-on experiences immediately inspired me to switch from a Business Administration major to Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising, while still pursuing minors in Business Administration and Apparel Design.

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Central Washington University stood out to me because of its smaller class sizes, which create a more close-knit and collaborative learning environment. It’s also located close to the west side of Washington, where much of the state’s fashion industry is based, providing valuable exposure and opportunities.

Courses that impacted me:

Several courses have had a major impact on my development. Consumer Textiles taught me how fabrics are made and deepened my understanding of materials. Fashion Line Development and Advanced Design allowed me to design my own collection while learning draping and flat pattern techniques.

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The field trip experience to the west side of Washington was especially valuable, as I had the opportunity to tour clothing and accessory brands and learn directly from CEOs and industry professionals with years of experience.

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Another impactful course was Style Principles, where I focused on store layouts and merchandising displays. This class directly helped me land a job and strengthened my qualifications for other opportunities.

Accomplishments

One of my proudest accomplishments is winning the Designer’s Choice Award at the CWU Fashion Show. I’ve also significantly improved my skills in Adobe Illustrator, CLO 3d, garment construction, and my overall design process.

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Networking is another area I’ve grown in—while I was introduced to it academically, taking initiative on my own has helped me better understand the industry, build connections, and open new opportunities for my career.

Leadership Experience

I’ve developed strong leadership and creative direction skills as an officer for the Student Fashion Association. In this role, I help plan and lead club meetings, foster a welcoming environment, and ensure that all members feel included and valued. This experience has strengthened my ability to lead, communicate, and build community within a team setting.

Education (in depth)

Throughout the Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising program, I’ve learned the full lifecycle of fashion design—from initial research and concept development to final product completion. I’ve gained hands-on experience in garment construction and learned how to identify and fix fit issues on both dress forms and live models.

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I’ve developed skills in creating tech packs and using Excel to organize and manage design-related information. I’ve designed a total of seven looks across two fashion collections and have become highly proficient in Adobe platforms such as InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

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I’ve also learned how to create effective store layouts and merchandising displays, which I further developed during my internship as a clothing aid at my university’s merchandise and bookstore. Additionally, I’ve built strong networking skills—both through coursework and independently—and gained a solid understanding of resume and portfolio development.

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My coursework has also given me insight into how textiles and fabrics are made, as well as how the fashion industry operates from both a consumer and business perspective. I’ve learned what drives sales, what companies look for when hiring, and how brands make decisions to better connect with their target audience.

Professional Experience

Awarded Fashion Designer @ CWU Fashion Show

January - June, 2025

  • Improved technical & story telling skills by creating three looks, six pieces total, developing each garment from concept to completion

  • Learned & Improved on Concept Development - Mood Boards - Sketching - Illustrator - Tech Pack - Spec Sheets - Garment Construction - Fit Analysis - Fabric Research - Fixing Fit & Aesthetic Issues Through Multiple Samples

  • Stayed organized & held responsibility by maintaining showroom-ready garments for all fittings, rehearsals, and runway presentation

Wildcat Shop - Ellensburg, WA - Retail Intern/Retail Associate

Dec, 2024 - Present

  • Helped increased sales by partnering with merchandising and receiving teams to ensure accurate product flow, floor presentation and inventory organization

  • Improving in-store workflow and online store traffic by assisting/shadowing supervisor in prepping, organizing, folding & steaming clothing for instore merchandising displays, and online catalog photoshoots

  • Ensuring customer satisfaction by answering questions clearly and concisely and finding product and initiating a positive atmosphere that represents the store well

Custom Fabric Print/Advertising/Product Development Internship

Zombie Bunny Fabrics

June 2024 - August 2024

  • Increasing productivity and product development by assisting in the development/creation of fabric designs using Procreate and Photoshop

  • Increased online presence by about 20 percent by overseeing five marketing campaigns, setting up shoot timelines, collaborating with team members, photographing product, and editing final images

Student Fashion Association Club 

  • Student Fashion Association Club Officer - Note Taker, Organizer, personable, Sit in on meetings utilizing Excel and many other applications

Student Intern for Fashion Industry Conference

  • Student Intern for Fashion Industry Conference - Ensuring positive atmosphere during workshops, Garment & Mood board competition judge, Photographer for workshops, student & keynote speakers

Front of the House Associate

Burlington Stores inc.

June 2023 - Sep 2023

  • Sales Floor Associate, Ensuring customer satasfaction by finding specific clothign items.

  • Retail Cashiering, Helping customers check out quickly and efficiently, being nice a friendly to ensure positive feedback.

  • Fitting Room Attendant, Helping organize clothing items for customer needs and ensuring a tidy space to try on clothes.

  • Full time promotion offer for always looking for stuff to do, being kind and personable to everyone, and always doing what needs to be done. 

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