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MELISSA KING -JULES 

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 MsTickle Arts is the creation of artist, designer, and performer, Melissa King-Jules.

Formed in 2009, originally based in NYC MsTickle Arts was created to bring Melissa’s extensive experience as a performer and conceptual artist together with her expert knowledge of costume and theater.

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Melissa has cultivated a loyal customer base and has earned the respect of a steady flow of clients from the cabaret, burlesque, circus, performance art, and nightlife entertainment industries. Well known as the “go to” designer for difficult sculptural, transformative and engineered pieces.

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 As a conceptual artist/performer Melissa has inspired a generation of up and coming performers and is the winner of 3 Burlesque Hall of Fame Awards, and is in the curriculum as a study subject for a performance study course in a prominent NY University.

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Earning a varied and diverse career from the London Underground club scene to New York Art house and High profile glamour Now based in Las Vegas  working with renowned performance artist and productions such as Cirque Du Soleil, Opium​, Absinthe and Sweets' Spot TV and she is resident designer for the multi million dollar event and costume hire company, Champagne Creative Group with clients covering the entire USA .

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 “The most important lesson designing for a wide and diverse clientele has taught me is that the costume has the ability to be a character in its own right, it can tell a whole story, evoke emotion, transform and be transformative”.

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Resume

Summary

Creative costume designer with in-depth experience and knowledge of stage, special events, and the needs of performers. She has a strong background in sculptural, transformational, and engineered pieces. A master at conceptualizing, developing, and realizing a client’s vision beyond expectations who loves to work in a collaborative environment where she can apply her 25+ years of experience and unique skills.

Core Accomplishments

  • THEATRE ; Stitcher and wardrobe technician for Cirque Du  Soleil. Conceived ,directed and designed an off Broadway show Mantasia.  Directed and designed for Broadway Bares.

  • FILM ; Costume designer, wardrobe lead for 6 episode web series, Sweets'  Spot TV.

  • ​BUSINESS; Department head for major event producer and costume rental  company  based in Las Vegas Champagne Creative Group.                              Ran a popular NY costume design business MsTickle Arts for 9 years. 

  • HIGH PROFILE CLIENTS - Marc Jacobs, Madonna, Furgie and Phillip  Starck, 

  • PUBLICATIONS; Magazines - Vogue, Vanity Fair, Esquire and Elle.                    Books - The Burlesque Handbook, Stripped Down; how Burlesque lead    me home and Performing the Burlesque Body.

  • ACADEMIA; work featured as case study in a theater  course at  Columbia university. And Costume design course Colorado university.

Skill Highlights

  • Design /conceptualization

  • Art direction

  • Fashion sketching

  • Engineering (moving parts, transformation and quick change)

  • Research and development

  • Sewing - Industrial machine and hand

  • Sculpting

  • Thermoplastics

  • Client communications

  • Creation and alteration of flat patterns

  • Redesign (altering garments)

  • Fittings

  • Hand dyeing and fabric painting

  • Headpiece building

  • Onsite/Backstage - altering /Mending

  • Backstage management

  • Costume technician coordination

  • Onsite event coordination.

  • Beading and gem-stoning.

  • Fabric shopping

Experience

Wardrobe 
Cirque Du Soleil                                                                                                

  • Wardrobe technician ​

  • Track technician

  • Stitcher

2023 - present
Las Vegas

Producer/ Designer
Sweets' Spot TV                                                                                                                                                       
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​      Web Series co-creator

  • Art design

  • Costume Design

  • Writing

  • Production

2022 - 2024
Las Vegas

Costume Department Head
Champagne Creative Group                                                                                                                                                            

  • Custom costume design for multi million dollar, special event company with nation wide clientele.

  • Supervising stitchers and laundry staff.

  • Supervising maintenance , mending and alterations of existing stock.

  • Generating new ideas and costume lines

  • ​Research and development for new concepts and products.

  • Styling and customizing for client/event specifications.

2018 - present
Las Vegas

Owner
MsTickle Arts

2009 - present
NYC / Las Vegas

        • Costume designer.

        • Project development, conceptualization, fashion sketching. 

        • Generating price quotes. 

        • Fabric and materials selection.

        • Research and buying. 

        • Construction and fittings.

        • Clients include:

  

   - Melody Sweets (Absinthe / Burlesque Hall Of Fame / The Smith Center, LV)      

   - Quinn Limmley (Gotta Get A Gimmick Burlesque To Broadway, BB Kings, NY)

   - Julie Atlas Muse (I Am the Moon and You Are The Man On Me, P.s 21, NY)

   - Suzan Bartsch (The Life Ball, Vienna and The Standard Hotel, Miami)

   - Phillip Starc (NY Hotel launch party)

Designer/Director
Broadway Bares -Mad Hatters Tea Party                                                                                                                                                                                                   

        • Art Direction 

        • Costume design, rendered fashion sketches for Broadway Bares costuming team.

2008
NYC

Designer  
Marc Jacobs Annual Christmas Event                                                                                                                                                                     

        • Designed 50 male and female character costumes in compliance with a strict theme directive. Researched clothing styles from appropriate areas and era. Rendered fashion sketches. Made fabric selections.

        • Managed the project to a very tight schedule and budget. Supervised team and monitored all construction works. Developed dressing lists, and timetables. Coordinated, scheduled and supervised onsite dressing of all characters.

2003 -2006
NYC

Writer/Director/Costume and Set designer
Mantasia,                                                                    
                                                                                                                                      

        • Writer and concept development /Art direction 

        • Design and production of set and costumes.

        • Brand development and advertising concepts. 

2004 -2005
NYC

Assistant Designer/Stylist/Stitcher/Dresser

Anti Gravity                                                                       

                                                                                                                                     

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        • Fabric sampling and buying

        • Costume construction / Fashion sketches

        • Backstage fittings and repairs. 

        • Aerial Dresser in Safety harness.

        • While with Anti Gravity-Stylist for Marc Jacobs LA launch party Costume design and construction for Special Olympics Opening Celebration.

2003 -2008
NYC

Assistant/Stylist/Stitcher  
Shelly Bomb Productions,                                                                                                     
                                                                                                          

        • Costume construction. Buyer / Stylist / Dresser

        • For a variety of clients and special events including Madonna for the Launch of her children’s book.

Bit Writer/Costume Designer
Guilty Pleasures                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                        

Bit Writer/Costume Designer
Normans Big Night Out / Pink Rhino Review                                                                                              
                                                                     

        • Co-writing and directing /Costume design and construction for a speakeasy-style cabaret.

        • Writing and directing weekly bits for two consecutive cabernet style off broadway shows                   

        • Costume design and construction.

2004 -2008
NYC

2006
NYC

2003 -2004
NYC

Costume Designer/Stylist                                                                                                   2000-2001
Lourdes                                                                                                                                            NYC

Prop/Costume designer                                                                                                               1992
Pade De Duex ,  (funded by the London Arts Council)                                        London, England  

Costume design/Art direction                                                                                                     1992 
Club Heaven,                                                                                                            London, England 

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