Hi There,

My name is Lynnfield Mitchell and I am an Sauder MBA candidate class of 2015. I have experienced a very creative and colourful journey that has led me to my current pursuit of an MBA.

I am originally from Vancouver Island but grew up mainly in Calgary AB. From 8 years old, I  knew that fashion was a passion for me. My first job was working as a Sales Associate/Cashier opening up the first American Eagle Outfitters in Calgary. I was also an avid sewer and designer.

I attended Olds College receiving a Diploma in Fashion Production, during which I worked as the Fashion Program Representative, attending student council meetings bi-monthly. This only ignited my interest in fashion and design further, so I relocated to Toronto ON and attended Ryerson University receiving my BDes with a major in Fashion Design. While at Ryerson, I worked as the Head Cutter/ Pattern Drafter at Finelines and also interned for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Total Brand Management. My degree culminated with the showing of my final collection Lynnfield Lane Childrenswear at Mass Exodus, Canada’s largest fashion show. I was also very fortunate to have my final collection sponsored by Janome.

Upon graduation, I was longing for the West Coast again and decided to relocate to Vancouver BC. I was hired as the Assistant Designer for Bootlegger assisting the Senior Designer in all aspects of the creative process. Some of my favorite tasks in this role included presenting trend presentations, building colour palettes, creating looks for seasonal photoshoots, and assortment planning. I was also very fortunate to have to opportunity to travel for inspiration in this role collecting trends from NY, LA, and Las Vegas.

After three years at Bootlegger, I was ready for the next step and now work as the Colourist Assistant for Lululemon. In this role, I assist the Colourist to develop and approve all colours for both Lululemon and Ivivva. This means that I approve colours on fabrics, trims, and accessories ensuring that they will execute well in stores and that they will have excellent colour quality. Highlights in this role have included planning/attending a Colour Workshop in Taiwan with all of our mill partners discussing innovations in dyeing and printing, traveling to Hong Kong/Taiwan to approve colours for both Fall 13 and Spring 14, and attending the AIC Colour Conference in the UK.

Over the past decade, I have gained a diversified portfolio of work experience in the retail industry and throughout the supply chain; working in colour and raw materials, design, production, brand management, and at the retail store level. Recently, I have decided that more than anything else I want to start my own company! My dream is to start an interiors and lifestyle branded boutique and eventually launch my own lifestyle brand to live within the store.

I am choosing to attend the Sauder School of Business because I know that it is the next step in achieving my goal of becoming a successful entrepreneur. In addition to providing me with the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve my long term goals, it will enable me to reach my short-term goal of living in the UK (I plan to attend the University of Warwick or the University of Manchester for exchange) as well as moving into a brand management role upon graduation.

I look forward to learning from the best, making new connections/networks, and building last friendships during the program. I can’t wait for it all to begin!

Cheers,

Lynnfield