By Doug Goodnough

Since high school, Melissa Lefere-Cobb ’95 was determined to live in New York City and work in the fashion industry.

Thanks to a unique Siena Heights degree program – along with a relentless work ethic—she said she was able to achieve both of those goals. For more than two decades, Lefere-Cobb has worked her way up to the pinnacle of the fashion industry. She is currently the division head for Herve Leger, a well-known French fashion house, in New York City.

She said Siena Heights’ fashion merchandising program started her down the “runway” of her very successful career path. She learned about the program while a student at Jackson (Mich.) Lumen Christi High School.

“It was a great program that allowed me to go to Siena for three years, and then my junior year I spent at the Fashion Institute of Technology,” Lefere-Cobb said of the fashion merchandising major, which is no longer offered. “It served me well.”

The year at FIT, located in New York City, gave her the necessary experience and exposure to the fashion world, while still giving her the Siena Heights on-campus experience she wanted. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Siena Heights and an associate’s degree from FIT through the program.

Less than a week after graduation, she flew back to New York, set up interviews and quickly had a job offer—despite not having found a place to live yet. She began her career in fashion creating samples for Sygne Design, a private label for companies like Ann Taylor. Lefere-Cobb advanced quickly in the industry, eventually working for brands such as Donna Karan, Nautica and Dolce & Gabbana.

In 2004, she accepted a career-altering position with Oscar de la Renta, giving her an opportunity to work with one of the icons of fashion. She worked with the famed designer on a daily basis for more than a decade.

“When I started at Oscar de la Renta, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the big time!’” she recalled. “I had not worked at a company that high level yet.”

She credited her “Midwest work ethic” in rising to Oscar de la Renta’s senior vice president of Global Merchandising and Sales in areas such as fashion jewelry, ready-to-wear fashion and childrenswear.

Since 2015, she has also worked for the Yigal Azrouel and J. Mendel labels before Herve Leger hired her in January 2018 to help relaunch its brand. Lefere-Cobb said she is currently consumed with rolling out the 2019 collection.

She said she enjoys working with both the designers and managing the business side of fashion. In fact, one day she hopes to become a president or CEO of a fashion label.

“The way I work with designers is very different than the way I work with my sales team, or the buying team or ecommerce,” Lefere-Cobb said. “I have a high level of respect for the talent, but then figuring out ways to get what you need to drives the business, it’s a little bit of a dance.”

She said the fashion industry has changed dramatically over the past decade.

“Everything has changed, (from) people’s buying patterns, their viewing patterns (to) their expectation level,” Lefere-Cobb said. “People are spending less money on clothes and more money on experiences. People are also very conscious of where everything comes from, what their footprint looks like.”

So, what does she like to wear?

“I’ve always been pretty fancy,” Lefere-Cobb said. “Obviously Herve Leger, Oscar and J. Mendel, and for fun throw in some Zara. And lots of high heels and dresses.”

She and her husband are raising their two sons in the heart of New York City and live not too far away from the 9/11 Memorial. She said New York City is still where she wants to be.

“I love the energy. I love the buzz. I love the people,” she said. “It keeps you on your toes. It keeps you young.”