This section features the learning outcomes of supervised students’ research projects, including independent studies, master’s thesis, and University of Delaware (UD) summer scholar research.
Fall 2023
Supervised research conducted by Kendall Ludwig and Miranda Rack: Exploring the Production and Export Strategies of U.S. Textiles and Apparel Manufacturers (Published in Just-style). Check the Udaily article that features the research project (February 2024).
Short bios:
Kendall Ludwig: Kendall is a Fashion Merchandising and Management Major and 4+1 program graduate student in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (FASH) at the University of Delaware (UD). Kendall’s research interests include all topics related to environmental and social sustainability such as supply chain traceability, circularity, textile waste solutions, garment worker rights, forced labor, and stakeholder impact/engagement. As a UD summer scholar, Kendall has conducted several research projects related to textile recycling and textile product development.
Miranda Rack: Miranda is a Fashion Merchandising and Management Major (Honors), and 4+1 program graduate student in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (FASH) at the University of Delaware (UD). Miranda’s research topics include preventing overconsumption, educating consumers about fast fashion, unique applications for the reuse of post-consumer textile waste, and developing a business model that blends and highlights these specific aspects of sustainable fashion. As a UD summer scholar, Miranda has conducted several research projects related to textile recycling and upcycling.
Supervised research conducted by Emilie Delaye: Exploring US Apparel Brands and Retailers’ Evolving Sourcing Strategies (Published in Just-style)
Short bio: Emilie Delaye is a senior, Entrepreneur major and Fashion Management minor at the University of Delaware (UD). As a UD world scholar, Emilie is passionate about fashion sustainability and the global aspect of the fashion industry.
Supervised research conducted by Hannah Laurits: Sourcing opportunities for sustainable apparel “Made in the USA” (Published in Just-style)
Short bio: Hannah Laurits is a graduate student in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (FASH) at the University of Delaware (UD). She also received her B.S. from UD & FASH with a double major in apparel design and fashion merchandising and management. Hannah is passionate about adaptive clothing and making the fashion industry more inclusive and sustainable. Hannah was a sourcing intern for Haddad Brands in summer 2023 and she is the recipient of the 2023 International Textiles and Apparel Association (ITAA) Sara Douglas Fellowship in recognition of her academic excellence and accomplishments.
Students in FASH455 and FASH graduate students talked to Just-Style about Gen Z’s perspectives on sustainable apparel sourcing. Students who contributed to the story include Emilie Delaye, Cecilia Goetz, Hannah Laurits (graduate), Leah Marsh (FASH 4+1 MS program), Miranda Rack (FASH 4+1 MS program), Kendall Ludwig (FASH 4+1 MS program), Annabelle Brame, and Hunter Wills. Read the full story here.
Spring 2023
In Spring 2023, a remarkable group of FASH undergraduate and graduate students, including Ally Botwinick (4+1, Master’s), Kallista Kuhn, Lara Wood, Leah Marsh (4+1, Master’s), Miriam Keegan (Master’s), and Taylor Ferrara, led by Dr. Sheng Lu (faculty advisor), collaborated with Macy’s to delve into the company’s sustainable sourcing strategies. In June 2023, the team visited Macy’s headquarters in New York City and presented their project findings to the company’s leadership team, including VPs of sourcing and sustainability. Read the Udaily featured story about the project.
Ally Botwinick participated research project: Explore PVH Corporation’s Evolving Apparel Sourcing Strategies (Published in Just-style)
Short bio: Ally Botwinick is a 4+1 Graduate Student in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (class of 2023). She also graduated from UD and FASH with a BS in Fashion Merchandising and Management major (class of 2022). Ally was a policy intern for the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2022. She also interned with the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) in fall 2022. Ally will join Macy’s Corporation after graduation.
Fall 2022
Miriam Keegan Master’s thesis: Explore the Production and Export Strategies of Garments “Made in Ireland.” (Published in the Research Journal of Textile and Apparel)
Short bio: Miriam Keegan is a graduate student & graduate instructor in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware. She is also a Fulbright-EPA Award Winner. Miriam is highly passionate about fashion sustainability issues. In December 2022, She was selected to receive a competitive grant award from Ireland’s Department of Education “Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030” program). This program is part of Ireland’s National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development.
Summer 2022
Leah Marsh summer scholar research project (published in Just-Style): Unleashing the potential of Europe’s recycled clothing market
Short bio: Leah Marsh is a Fashion Merchandising and Management major at the University of Delaware (UD) & 2022 UD summer scholar. She is also a World Scholar, a competitive UD program aiming to offer students with unique global learning experiences and networking. Leah is recently admitted to the 4+1 fashion and apparel studies graduate program at the University of Delaware. Additionally, Leah is a UD BlueHen Social Media Ambassador.
Spring 2022
Logan Crispin Independent Study research project (published in Just-Style): The rise of the online secondhand clothing business
Short bio: Logan Crispin is a graduate student & graduate instructor in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. She is also the owner of Lo’s Upcycled, an online secondhand clothing business. Logan was the founder and co-president of the Sustainable Fashion Club, a student organization at UD dedicated to promoting fashion sustainability.
Anna Matteson Independent Study research project (published in Just-Style): How can the ‘Made in the USA’ apparel market reach its full potential?
Short bio: Anna Matteson graduated from the University of Delaware in December 2021 with B.S. in Fashion Merchandising and Management. She is also an incoming graduate student in the FASH program. Anna worked as a fabric sourcing intern for QVC in Fall 2021. She currently works as a research intern for the Better Buying Institute.
Fall 2021
Emma Davis 2021 International Textile and Apparel (ITAA) annual conference presentation
Short bio: Emma Davis graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2021 with B.S. in Fashion Merchandising. Emma is a two-year winner of the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) national case competition award. Emma is also the author of several recent publications on U.S. fashion companies’ sourcing strategy in Just-Style. In summer 2021, Emma was invited to present her research to the sourcing leadership team at Target. Emma currently works for Burlington Stores Inc. as an assistant buyer.
Summer 2021
Ally Botwinick 2021 UD Summer Scholar project: Understand Fashion Companies’ Merchandising and Marketing Strategies for Clothing Made from Recycled Materials
Short bio: Ally Botwinick is a Fashion Merchandising and Management major (class of 2022). She is also admitted to the 4+1 fashion and apparel studies graduate program at the University of Delaware. Ally was a policy intern for the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2022. She will intern with the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) in fall 2022.
Valerie Light 2021 UD Summer Scholar research project: How Can U.S. Cosmetics and Beauty Retailers Survive the Pandemic?
Short bio: Valerie Light is an Honors Public Relations Communication major and Fashion management minor (class of 2022). She is also the Editor-in-Chief of UDress, a student-run fashion magazine. Valerie received the prestigious Emalea Pusey Warner Award for outstanding seniors in May 2022.
Spring 2021
Emma Davis Independent Study research project (published in Just-Style): How the pandemic has shifted US apparel sourcing strategies
Short bio: Emma Davis graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2021 with B.S. in Fashion Merchandising. Emma is a two-year winner of the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) national case competition award. Emma is also the author of several recent publications on U.S. fashion companies’ sourcing strategy in Just-Style. In summer 2021, Emma was invited to present her research to the sourcing leadership team at Target. Emma currently works for Burlington Stores Inc. as an assistant buyer.
Victoria Langro independent study research project: How Has COVID-19 Affected Apparel Exports from China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh?. The study is published in Just-style and will be presented at the 2021 International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) conference.
Short bio: Victoria Langro is an Honors Marketing & Operations Management Majors and Fashion Management Minor (class of 2022). She is also a 2020 UD Summer Scholar.
Fall 2020
Lora Merryman Master’s Thesis: Are Fashion Majors Ready for the Era of Data Science? A Study on the Fashion Undergraduate Curriculum in U.S. Institutions (published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education). The study is featured by Just-Style in Fashion education needs a re-think on the data skills.
Short bio: Lora Merryman graduated from the University of Delaware (UD) with a Master of Science in Fashion and Apparel Studies (class of 2021). She also graduated from UD with a Bachelor’s Science in Fashion Merchandising in 2020. She worked for QVC as a global sourcing intern. Lora was selected as a 2019 University of Delaware summer scholar. She also served as a graduate teaching assistant for FASH455 in Fall 2020 and Winter 2021. Lora is the author of a recent research publication on data science education for fashion majors, featured by Just-Style and several other industry news outlets. Lora currently works for Macy’s as a merchandiser.
Summer 2020
Victoria Langro summer scholar research: US-UK Free Trade Agreement: What Does it Mean for the Apparel Industry? (published in Just-Style.)
Short bio: Victoria Langro is an Honors Marketing & Operations Management Majors and Fashion Management Minor (class of 2022). She is also a 2020 UD Summer Scholar.
Spring 2020
Kendall Keough Master’s Thesis: Explore the Export Performance of Textiles and Apparel “Made in the USA”: A Firm-Level Analysis (published in the Journal of the Textile Institute). [full article]
Short bio: Kendall Keough graduated from the University of Delaware (UD) with a Master of Science in Fashion and Apparel Studies (class of 2020). She also graduated from UD with a Bachelor’s Science in Fashion Merchandising with Honors in 2019. In 2018, Kendall won a YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund case study competition. Kendall has held many leadership positions at UD, including President of the Synergy Fashion Group. In the summer of 2020, Kendall was invited to present her research to the sourcing team at Under Armour and a seminar hosted by the United States International Trade Commission (USITC). Kendall currently works as an assistant inventory manager at Macy’s.
Mikayla DuBreuil‘s independent study: Explore Canada’s apparel market and sourcing patterns (published in Just-Style).
Short bio: Mikayla Dubreuil graduated from the University of Delaware (UD) with a Master of Science in Fashion and Apparel Studies (class of 2020). She also graduated from UD with a Bachelor’s Science in Fashion Merchandising in 2018. She received the International Textiles and Apparel (ITAA) Sara Douglas Fellowship for Professional Promise-Masters in 2019. Mikayla’s master’s thesis Traditional vs. big-data fashion trend forecasting: An examination using WGSN and EDITED is published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education.
Abby Edge‘s independent study: How will EU Trade Curb Affect Cambodia’s Apparel Industry? (published in Just-Style).
Short bio: Abby Edge graduated from the University of Delaware (UD) with a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising (class of 2020). While studying abroad, she worked as a product development intern for Under Armour’s Hong Kong office. She also served as a teaching assistant for FASH455 in Spring 2020. Abby currently works as a Product Development associate at Eileen Fisher, where she supports key initiatives in sourcing and sustainability.
Spring & Fall 2019
Shannon Brady‘s summer scholar and independent study: Managing the used clothing trade (published in the Bloomsbury Fashion Business Cases)
Short bio: Shannon Brady graduated magna cum laude from the University of Delaware, where she received a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising. She was a 2018 UD summer scholar. Shannon has always loved the fashion industry and has followed this passion in several ways, including an abroad program in Paris where she interned at Paris Fashion Week. Shannon was the Director of Communication of the US Fashion Industry Association. She currently works for Party City as a sourcing operation analyst.
Julia Huott‘s independent study research: Japan’s apparel market – Key selling and sourcing trends (Published in Just-Style).
Short bio: Julia Huott received a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Delaware in 2019. She also served as a teaching assistant for FASH455 in Fall 2019. Julia currently works for LaFORCE, a full-service marketing communications agency providing innovative strategies for the world’s top brands in retail, technology, fashion, luxury, home, design, beauty and wellness.
Camryn Leon-Kelly independent study research: Explore the Merchandising Strategy for Sustainable Cotton Apparel in the U.S Retail Market (published in Retail Info Systems)
Short bio: Camryn Leon-Kelly graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s Science in Fashion Merchandising (class of 2019). She currently works as an assistant merchant for Marquee Brands. Before joining Marquee Brands, Camryn worked as a merchandise assistant for Saks OFF 5TH.
Fall 2018
Jillian Luetje independent study: Evolving Sourcing Strategies of U.S. Apparel Companies (published in Just-style).
Short bio: Jillian Luetje graduated from the University of Delaware with an Honors Bachelor’s Science in Fashion Merchandising (class of 2019). While studying at UD, Jillian received the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund and served as an undergraduate research assistant. Jillian currently works as an assistant sourcing specialist for QVC.
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 