New York · Singapore · Sourced globally
Sketch to Sample
Fashion design consultant in New York.
Six years across Calvin Klein, Theory, Willy Chavarria, Derek Lam, Rhone, and ATM, Steve Madden. Advanced contemporary women and menswear, loungewear and performance sportswear, through to eveningwear. We design and strategize in New York and build at the atelier.
As seen in
Brands
Calvin Klein
Womenswear, knitwear, menswear and sport
One of the world's most iconic American fashion houses, owned by PVH Corp. with nearly $4B in annual revenue and over 2,700 retail locations globally across 110+ countries.
Theory
Mens knitwear
Founded in New York in 1997, Theory redefined the contemporary market with elevated essentials. Owned by Fast Retailing (Uniqlo's parent company), with 221 freestanding stores worldwide and global sales approaching $1B.
Willy Chavarria
Mens and womens runway
Two-time CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year (2023, 2024). Named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2025. Stocked at Dover Street Market, Barneys, and Browns globally.
Derek Lam
Womens wovens
CFDA award-winning designer known for calculated simplicity and thoughtful detailing. Parsons graduate with licensing agreements spanning eyewear, footwear, and fragrance. Now traded as Derek Lam 10 Crosby.
Rhone
Mens and womens sport
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Stamford, CT. Premium performance activewear brand that hit $100M in revenue before expanding into womenswear in 2024. Raised $120M from investors including L Catterton. Sold at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Equinox, and 400+ specialty retailers globally.
ATM, Steve Madden
Womens, mens, kids and outerwear
ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo is a New York-based luxury basics brand under the Steve Madden umbrella, known for exceptional fabric quality across womenswear, menswear, and kidswear categories.
Amanda Uprichard
Womens occasional wovens wear and knitwear
Founded in 2008 in New York's Garment District, Amanda Uprichard is a contemporary womenswear label known for statement dresses in bold prints and luxe fabrics. A top seller at REVOLVE and Nordstrom, with a growing bridal and occasionwear capsule.
Consultancy
Selected clients
Independent consultancy work across a range of brands including Amanda Uprichard, Rhone, Reformation, Charmalee, and others. NDA-protected. Portfolio available on request.
What Sketch to Sample does
Sketch to Sample is the fashion design and development consultancy of Tina Ma, a fashion designer and creative direction based in New York. I work with fashion brands and founders on brand strategy, product development, and art direction, from first sketch to production sample.
Product development covers pattern making, tech packs, bills of materials, specs, measurements, and points of measure, plus sourcing, sample management, and production oversight with factories.
Terms founders ask about
- Tech pack
- The technical document a factory builds from: sketches, construction details, measurements, materials, and trims.
- Bill of materials (BOM)
- Every fabric, trim, label, and component in a garment, with quantities and suppliers.
- Specs and measurements
- The measurement chart for each size, with tolerances, so samples and production match the design.
- Point of measure (POM)
- The exact spots on a garment where it is measured, such as chest, waist, hem, and sleeve length.
- Pattern making
- Turning a design into the flat patterns a sample is cut and sewn from.
- Grading
- Scaling a pattern across the size range.
- Fit sessions and fit comments
- Reviewing a sample on the body and writing clear corrections back to the factory.
- Brand strategy
- Positioning, naming, market placement, and go-to-market planning that set a fashion label up before product is made.
- Sample management
- Tracking prototype, fit, and pre-production samples through each round to approval.