Needle By Needle

Looking for perfect chic winter accessories? Recently CHIC TV went behind the scenes of Needle By Needle's winter collection photoshoot in the Noho neighborhood of NYC. That's where we caught up with the designer, Melissa Joy Needle (actual maiden name!) who says this is her calling.

Melissa learned to knit from her two Grandmothers at a very young age and picked it back up in her 20's. She made a scarf for a friend who was a wardrobe stylist and wore it to pull clothes from Alvin Valley, needless to say he loved it and was looking to incorporate knitwear into his line, so he set up a meeting with Melissa.
The two worked together to create and handknit a sweater coat which he put in his Fall 2001 fashion show. It was knit with leather and wool.
Melissa got to dress the model that wore her sweater and see it walk down the runway, which she says was a life changing moment.
Prior to the sweater, Melissa says she had only knit a scarf and suddenly ended up designing and hand-knitting a sweater from scratch. The sweater garnered lots of attention and some great stores were interested in buying the sweater. Melissa knew she couldn't produce it and quietly bowed out of the game.
She resumed her career in TV/Film production and produced a documentary movie for Vogue about the ins and out of the fashion industry called 'Seamless'.
In 2006 Melissa created her signature 'necklace for winter' style and entered the accessories market. She was picked up by Henri Bendel on her first season and was featured on the Today Show, she continued building her business from there.
Melissa sells through Calypso, Henri Bendel, Charlotte Ronson & Richards.
We asked Melissa if she had advice for young designers, she says "You learn the most from making mistakes, so embrace them, but learn from them. Trust your gut always."
As for tips to dress fashionably in cold weather:  "Always consider that your outerwear becomes your outfit when you are wearing it so choose wisely. Scarves complete your look so changing that up can transform your whole look. Pick items that make you feel good, not just because they are in trend. Make sure you love them since you will be wearing them all season long."

CHIC TV loves the versatility of The Winter Necklace, it can be worn as a scarf, shawl, wrap, or hood. Melissa also designs beautiful headwraps and fingerless mittens. Check out her site for full details at www.needlebyneedle.com.