The Nyangatom woman

The Nyangatom woman is a continuation of research focusing on various African cultures. With this piece I wanted to further expand my knowledge of working with batik resist technique. I also wanted to experiment with beading on leather. This piece was inspired by the Nyangatom tribe of the Omo Valley located in Southwest Ethiopia crossing over into the Sudan border

Singed: How the zebra got its stripes

Singed: How the zebra got its stripes is a continuation of exploration into various African cultures and fables. This piece was inspired by an African fable from the San people of Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa

Retold: African Fables Conceptualized into Fashion Artwork

Unfortunately, there is still a profound ambivalence in the true historiography of Africa; much of what we understand is the “victimhood and romanticism†of the people (Beinart, 2000). The purpose of this research is to divulge the benefits and methodologies of using fables in fashion artwork. The conceptualization of African fables into the apparel and textiles industry aims to bring a deeper understanding of the rich cultural heritage of peoples. The perspective of the anthropology of art was used to frame a concept of creative flow by means of African fables. Four successful artworks were created and these works help break down barriers for other artists/designers looking to incorporate anthropological art in their work. These garments offer inventive ways of using unique forms of media to accomplish the goal of storytelling and designing successful fashion artwork

Underrepresented: The Lack of Black Designers Featured in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue

During the Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week preview, only two African American designers showcased collections of the 127 designers (Mullins). Spring 2015 Fashion Week showcased 25 African American/African (Black) designers (Superselected), which is a significant increase. However, there is still minimal to no presence of Black designers in high-fashion magazines. There has been lay/popular research on this phenomenon (Kearney; madamenoire; Mullins; Williams; Woodberry), but no academic data has been published regarding this injustice. Through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) lens the coverage or lack thereof that Black designers receive is divulged. CRT recognizes that racism is engrained in the fabric and system of the American society (UCLA School of Public Affairs). A content analysis of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue was conducted for year 2000 and 2012 in order to track a possible increase in coverage. The data revealed that there was no increase of exposure Black designer received in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue from year 2000 to 2012. Tokenism was found as an issue which did not allow for other non-token Black designers to be recognized. The results suggest that there is continued need for diversification in high-fashion publications

Bogolanfini in Leather

Bògòlanfini in Leather was inspired by the traditional art of bògòlanfini (mud cloth), dating back hundreds of years and was first created by the Malian ethnic group, the Bamana. This technique of textile dyeing with boiled leaves and fermented mud, takes place in several stages. The process of creating authentic bògòlanfini is a highly intricate affair, which is indigenous to Mali; therefore, my goal was to create a similar look with alternative media. I designed a cape using sleek, shiny black leather with rust and white suede pig skins as appliqués and a coordinating skirt. The contrasting colors chosen for my media made a powerful design statement that is reminiscent of Malian bògòlanfini. This piece brings traditional art into contemporary times while honoring the history of the age-old technique

The Simulated Fit Session: Experiential Learning for Future Technical Designers

Through a Fit Simulation (FS) project, students were introduced to the creative aspects of technical design. Research shows that adult learners retain lessons more effectively when “they actively engage in the process [and] play a role†in their learning; resulting in an experiential learning environment through simulation (Fanning & Gaba, 2007). Simulated learning experiences promote deeper understanding through integrated and dynamic linking of multiple representations of the knowledge to be learned (van der Meij, 2006)

Royal Mbebana

Royal Mbebana is a continuation of exploration into various African cultures and fables. This piece was inspired by the Basotho tribe of North Sotho, South Africa. In this culture the girls are initiated into womanhood at 14-16 years of age at a ceremony where they wear a tradition beaded apron

Promoting positive experiences: Students perceptions and future intentions from attending a Student Organization and Competition Fair

This study explores the role of extra-curricular activities among students. In particular, this study focuses on investigating the effects of student organization and external competition fair on creating students\u27 motivation. Flow and Student Engagement theory supports students\u27 active involvement on campus. The finding highlights the importance of extra-curricular activities on students overall

Inter-generational Mentorship Workshop

Overall, over 35 people participated in the workshop and we had inspiring conversations while learning about different phases of academic careers. Several members commented after the workshop that we need more conversations or opportunities like this. And, the majority of the participants, a total of 27, stated that they want to be mentors for others based on the experiences we had during the 2017 workshop. To respond to such requests, our group proposed (a) to write a newsletter with the summary of the 2017 workshop discussion over the 2018 calendar year to further disseminate our conversations with the rest of ITAA members; (b) to propose a monograph related to inter-generational mentoring, and (c) to host another workshop in 2018 to continue our inter-generational mentoring efforts

Inequalities around fashioned bodies, style, and beauty: A seminar examining social injustices related to the apparel industry, discipline, and/or personal aesthetics

The seminar was centered around scholarship related to or addressing social justice or social justice issues in the apparel industry, our discipline, or personal and/or community aesthetics and styles. We focused on work examining underrepresented populations such as: (a) people of color, (b) the LGBTQ+ community, (c) people of a variety of abilities, and/or (d) other groups that have a history of oppression, discrimination, or power and privilege inequalities. The seminar had a non-traditional “arrangement” in the room with “exhibits” of scholarly work and “mini talks” from each presenter. Our goal was to initiate and encourage these discussions to go beyond the seminar session and for the participants to engage in dialogue at their home institutions and programs while building a network of people in the seminar to dialogue about in the future