Today we’d like to introduce you to Tresha Nielsen.
Tresha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a Senior Product Designer. Growing up, I was very shy but I was able to express myself through arts and crafts. I grew up in rural Wisconsin, and I was very active in 4-H. Being in 4-H exposed me to a lot of life skills that my friends were not learning: sewing, quilting, basketry, cooking, baking, ceramics, painting, and raising/caring for animals. I also grew up riding horses, which has become a very important part of my life. Some of these skills became life-long hobbies, and steered me into pursuing the creative field as a profession.
When I was in high school, I wanted to become a fashion designer, but my art teacher persuaded me to look into industrial design. I had no idea what industrial design was at the time, but she arranged for me to meet an industrial designer at a local consultancy. After touring the office and talking to the designers, I knew that industrial design was for me. However, I still loved the idea of being a fashion designer, so I wanted to figure out a way to curate everything I was passionate about into one profession.
After high school, I attended Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where I majored in Industrial Design. While looking for internships my junior year, I made it my mission to find something that would combine my love of product design with fashion. After speaking with some of my professors, I learned about High Sierra. High Sierra wasn’t looking for an intern at the time, but I asked if I could come in for a portfolio review anyway. When I arrived at the High Sierra office, I saw a wall full of brightly colored packs, and designers totally immersed in their work and products. It was a place that I could work on products that crossed over between fashion and product design, and I knew it was the perfect place for me to intern.
I pleaded my case for them to take me on as an intern. I was willing to work for free if I had to; I just wanted to be part of the experience. High Sierra took me on as an intern for a year, and I was hired as a designer after I graduated from MIAD.
Today, I am the lead designer for back-to-school products. In addition to back-to-school, I design business pack collections, lunch kits, and the packs for warehouse club and off-price programs. High Sierra’s design team is also its development team, so we all work on projects from concept to production. This includes research, sketching, specifications, sample revisions, and then reviewing and approving production.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a designer who designs mass-consumer products, I have to take my personal opinion out of the equation, and convince others to do the same. My needs for a backpack are completely different than the needs of a middle school teen. I always have to consider the end user: What are their expectations and needs for the product? What materials are suitable? How will they use the bag? It can sometimes be a challenge to convince people that a certain color or trend will be popular two years from now, especially if it isn’t currently present in the market. However, it’s important to follow the research and trends in order to make the best possible product and decisions.
High Sierra – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
High Sierra is company that specializes in casual bags and travel bags. This includes back-to-school packs, luggage, ski/snowboard bags, frame packs, hydration packs, and business packs. The products are sold in most department stores, off-priced stores, warehouse clubs, and online. High Sierra makes affordable, feature-rich products.
I am a Senior Product Designer in charge of back-to-school products and most backpack categories. I am known for being fast and accurate when it comes to designs and specifications, and for efficiently handling multiple projects at once. I work with an incredible group of designers and mentors.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We work on so many products at High Sierra, and it’s so rewarding to see our products out in the world. It’s a pretty special feeling to be walking somewhere, and see someone carrying a pack I designed. Not many professions provide that instant gratification.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.treshanielsen.com
- Email: tresha.nielsen@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tresha_designs_it/
- Other: www.linkedin.com/in/tresha-nielsen/
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