(ITAA show catalog – Image credit: ITAA)

This year’s annual International Textile & Apparel Association (ITAA) conference was held in Las Vegas from Oct 25^th to Oct 29^th.  The theme of the conference was “Risk and Reward.” Attendance at the conference reached a record high with over 550 college faculty & students and industry leaders from around the world.

For those unfamiliar with this organization, the International Textile and Apparel Association is a professional, educational association composed of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education. ITAA promotes the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge and is a primary resource for its members in strengthening leadership and service to society.

The conference provides an opportunity for college undergraduate & graduate students and faculty to deliver research papers, share ideas and network. Among this year’s many lecture topics were: “Visualizing the #VR Network on Twitter – Social Network Analysis,” “A Study on Perceptions & Consumption Values of Ethical Consumption by Using Social Media Big Data,” “Understanding the Effect of Retail Therapy Based on Body-Consciousness: Surveillance, Shame and Social Ostracism,” Synthesis of Craftsmanship and Innovative Technology for Creative Apparel Design Inspired by Optical Art,” as well as other relevant industry topics covering design, sustainability, innovation, technology and retail merchandising & marketing.

INDUSTRY EXHIBITIONS

The ITAA conference also featured exhibitions by industry leaders. Included among this year’s group: technology companies -EFI Optitex and 3dMd, book publishers – Laurence King, Bloomsbury and Intellect, textile companies- Cotton Incorporated, Textile Fabric Consultants Inc., Atexinc and online fashion education database, University of Fashion.

(UoF Faculty Martha Palaza – UoF Founder Francesca Sterlacci – UoF sales Myrna Dorfman – Image credit: University of Fashion)

Our very own Martha Palaza, (professional patternmaker, University of Fashion & School of Fashion Design faculty) conducted a teaching workshop based on UoF lessons: Knit Fabric Principles, Knit Stretch Ratios and How to Convert Woven Slopers into Knit Slopers, as well as a chapter out of the UoF book, Sewing: Beginner Techniques.

More than 30 faculty from colleges around the globe attended Martha’s workshop, where she lectured on 4 Key Knit Characteristics (Stretch, Recovery, Weight and Shrinkage) and Knit Stretch Principles: 1-way, 2-way and 4-way. Anyone familiar with Martha’s lessons knows that she provides lots of useful handouts and she didn’t disappoint. Her lecture covered how to calculate knit stretch and then, using her handouts, demonstrated how to convert woven slopers to knit slopers for each of the various types of knit stretch. A lively discussion ensued about the perils of knit fabric shrinkage, with attendees sharing their own knit shrinkage horror stories and solutions.

(Martha Palaza – Teaching Workshop @ ITAA- Image credit: University of Fashion)

UNIVERSITY OF FASHION SPONSORED AWARDS 

UoF/ALVANON – Sustainability Award

(Designer: Bingyue Wei – Iowa State University – UoF/Alvanon Sustainable Award Winner – Image credit: ITAA)

In partnership with Alvanon dress forms, University of Fashion chose graduate student, Bingyue Wei (Iowa State University) as the recipient of their Sustainablity Award, the prize was a half-scale Alvanon dress form. Bingyue’s jacket was made of upcycled kids’ backpacks combined with the artwork images of Italian Futurist Giacomo Balla.

(Bingyue Wei -graduate student-Iowa State University – UoF Founder Francesca Sterlacci- Image credit: University of Fashion)

UoF/ LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING – Professional Development Award

For the second year in a row, UoF teamed up with Laurence King Publishing to award 5 UoF yearly subscriptions and 5 sets of  recently published UoF three-book series: Beginner Techniques: Draping, Pattern making and Sewing. Recipients of this award were chosen based on an essay describing their need for upskilling and personal development. The lucky winners were:

Faculty Winners: Virginia Rolling (Delaware State University), So Young Song (Illinois State University) and Charity Armstead (Brenau University Gainesville).

Student Winners: Mushfika Tasnim Mica (Oklahoma State University) & Mackenzie Miller-(Georgia Southern University)

(Anastasia Scott & Kara Hattersley- Smith 0f Laurence King Publishing- Musfika Tasnim Mica of Oklahoma State) – Francesca Sterlacci of UoF)

ITAA DESIGN EXHIBITION

Additional highlights at the ITAA conference were the juried work of some very talented undergraduate & graduate students and faculty (professional category):

UNIVERSITY OF FASHION RAFFLES OFF A 6 MONTH FULL ACCESS GROUP SUBSCRIPTION.

And the winner is…

At the conference, colleges had the opportunity to enter a UoF raffle drawing, the prize being a 6 month full access subscription for their entire school. We are pleased to announce the winner, Iowa State University. Iowa’s College of Human Sciences offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Apparel, Merchandising and Design. We are thrilled that their students and teachers will be able to supplement their existing curriculum and will be able to use UoF content to create hybrid and flipped classrooms.

And it just wouldn’t be Vegas without an Elvis sighting, right?

(Francesca Sterlacci, Elvis and Myrna Dorfman – Image credit: University of Fashion)