Jihyun Kim-Vick, Ph.D.

Dr. Jihyun Kim Vick is a professor and graduate studies coordinator in the School of Fashion at Kent State University in Ohio, USA. She is a seasoned researcher and educator who prepares future leaders in the global fashion industry. For the past two decades, she has developed theoretical frameworks to deepen our understanding of relationships between the digital transformation of fashion retail and consumer behavior in omnichannel retailing (e.g., e-commerce, m-commerce, peer-to-peer resale platforms). She contributes to the fashion SMEs by offering insights into the omnichannel value chain and logistical strategies. With two decades of research and teaching in this area, she has culminated her knowledge and experience into co-authoring a textbook, Omnichannel Retailing for Fashion Business. This book is in production and will be available by Fairchild, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, in 2025.

Another stream of her research delves into consumer psychology and motivation, including the positive impacts of garments and appearance management behavior on psychological well-being ("garment therapy" with Joy Mairura), secondhand luxury and self-esteem in the circular economy (with Donya Darvish), consumer participation in fashion resale (with Jack Herman), and social media and male body image (with Kylie Payne), to name a few.

During her sabbatical, she worked as a Chief Fashion Officer for UpStyled Fashion, a big data startup that employed generative artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a collaborative and practical platform for industry professionals and businesses.

Her exceptional contribution to the discipline was recognized by the International Textile and Apparel Association’s (ITAA) Mid-Career Excellence Award in 2018. Dr. J was selected as a recipient of the KSU’s Outstanding Research and Scholar Award in 2022. It was the first award-winning in the history of the School of Fashion. More recently, she was named a recipient of the 2024–25 President's Faculty Excellence Award, the highest recognition bestowed by KSU to recognize exceptional performance by a faculty member that has resulted in national and international recognition.

She served as an associate editor for the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal from 2010-13. She was elected to serve as a secretary of the ITAA from 2024-26. 

Education

• Ph.D., Clothing and Textile, Iowa State University (2004)
• M.A., Apparel and Textiles, Apparel Design concentration, Michigan State University (2000)
• B.S., Home Economics Education, Korea University, Seoul (1998)