“I was severely bullied in grade school which had long-lasting effects on me mentally and socially and has been something I’ve worked tirelessly on throughout my life to overcome.”
Melissa Skoog Dunagan
Melissa Skoog Dunagan, the Founder & President of Skoog Co and the Co-Founder & Owner of theJuggl, shared the story behind her title with us on Sunday, October 10th, 2021.
Skoog Co is a brand strategy and communications firm that represents many of the most celebrated luxury and lifestyle brands. theJuggl is a private membership marketplace uniquely featuring advice, tools & direct connections to move you towards your personal and professional goals.
Melissa is as much a fashion insider as they come. After majoring in glass-blowing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Hinsdale native kick-started her career as Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue. She climbed to accessories editor at Marie Claire before making the not-oft-accomplished leap from editorial to industry, spending four years in San Francisco as a merchant for women’s fashion at Gap Inc. There, she co-managed a $200 million business at Banana Republic and soaked up lessons from retail guru Millard “Mickey” Drexler, the former Gap chief who now helms J. Crew.
Ms. Dunagan moved back to New York in 2004 to lead Prada’s U.S. public relations efforts, a high-profile gig that had her mingling with New York’s glitterati six nights a week. But following a remarkably good first date in 2008, Ms. Dunagan married, relocated to Chicago, had her first child, and launched her own marketing and PR company in an 18-month whirlwind.
SUE SAYS
Raised as the baby in a small town in Illinois, Melissa spent a lot of time unsupervised and by herself. Her independence was seeded and she dreamt of living in the big city. Ironically after fulfilling her dream of working in fashion in NYC with the biggest names, Anna Wintour and Prada, she felt the need to leave it all behind to focus on herself and the wellness of other women.
Listen to our interview with Melissa below!
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