Kent State University Fashion School professors, Dr. Ja Young Hwang and Dr. Tameka Ellington, each received the “Best in Show-Professional” award at the 109th Annual American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) Conference and Expo 2018 in Atlanta over the summer. The conference is a popular design showcase within the apparel, textiles and design communities and features submitted by hundreds of artists every year. The theme of this year’s event was “Cultivating Social and Emotional competence for Healthy Relationships”.
Assistant professor Dr. Hwang won the “Best in Show-Professional” award in the apparel design, clothing and wearable-art category for the design “Phalaenopsis Amabilis 1”. Her contemporary eveningwear dress design aims to showcase the increasing impact of digital technology in the fashion world and showcases how new technologies in fashion, such as digital textile printing, can open up a continuously expanding array of creative possibilities.
Associate professor Dr. Ellington received her “Best in Show – Professional” for her design titled “Bogolanfini in Leather”. Her work was inspired by the hundred-year-old traditional art bògòlanfini (mud cloth). The cloths are used by warriors in Africa as camouflage or a badge of status and are believed to have the power to ward off evil.
About AAFCS
The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences is the only professional association dedicated to family and consumer sciences students and professionals from both multiple practice settings and content areas. Their broad-based membership organization helps connect FCS professionals across multiple practice settings and content areas to share knowledge, research and experience. The AAFCS helps its members grow and accomplish more, both personally and professionally, by offering leadership support and opportunities for professional development and collaboration and helps them make an impact on the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. Learn more about the AAFCS on their website, www.aafcs.org.
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Images:
Image 1: “Phalaenopsis Amabilis 1” garment created by Dr. Hwang.
Image 2: "Bogolanfini in Leather" garment created by Dr. Ellington.
Media Contact:
Brittani Peterson, marketing associate, bpeter12@kent.edu, 330-672-2714