Gargi Bhaduri, associate professor of fashion and merchandising, has her Entrepreneurial Leadership students and Supply Chain Management students dreaming big. Students spent their semesters researching and creating work to submit to competitions. Several of these students were selected as winners in their respective competitions.
As part of their coursework in the Fall 2022 semester, Entrepreneurial Leadership students created business plans and submitted them to the Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel (ESRAP) contest. Two of these groups placed first and second place in the graduate category.
Placing first is team MENDKEEP. The team, made up of Camila Cordeiro Valle and Lauren Street, focused on using creating and selling embroidery patches and other craft techniques to extend the longevity of clothes and create emotional durability.
In second place is team HONUA. The team of DaYoung “Emily” Park and Taylor Mends, created a business concept that centered around biodegradable intimate wear.
The Supply Chain Management students spent their Spring 2023 semester creating concept papers and research papers for the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) conference. Four of the seven papers submitted were selected to be presented at the 2023 Annual ITAA conference to be held in Baltimore, MD. The following students were selected:
Jodi Frontino: A Small Way to Give Back: Role of Buy Nothing Groups During COVID-19 Pandemic (Research Paper)
Donya Darvish: Circular Economy: The Role of Internal and External Marketing in Supply Chain (Concept Paper)
Michael Hausknecht: The Role of Recycled Polyester Fabric in a Circular Supply Chain: Less Bad is No Better (Concept Paper)
Taylor Mends: Can Circularity Be the Key to Sustainability for Fast Fashion Brands: A Concept Paper (Concept Paper)
After a year of academic success, Gargi Bhaduri said, “[I’m] so proud of the hard work the students put in and can’t wait to see where they go!” The School of Fashion’s Master’s degree focuses on the crucial factors changing the face of the fashion world. Students learn about important developments such as advanced technologies, global trends and sustainable practices.
About Gargi Bhaduri
Dr. Bhaduri received her Bachelor of Fashion Technology degree in apparel production from National Institute of Fashion Technology, India, in 2009 and her Master of Science degree in textile and apparel management from University of Missouri (MU) in 2011. She also completed a graduate certificate in Center for Digital Globe from MU. In 2014, she graduated with her Doctor of Philosophy degree in human environmental sciences with an emphasis on Textile and Apparel Management from MU. She started her teaching career in 2011.
Dr. Bhaduri’s education together with internships helped her to gain experience of the fashion industry starting with fiber and textile production, apparel manufacturing, buyer-seller relationships and brand management, visual merchandising and finally customer relationships. Her research interests include sustainable supply chain issues, communication strategies in the supply chain and information processing. She uses quantitative, qualitative and psychophysiological methods in her work.
Dr. Bhaduri has served and participated in various committees for the International Textile and Apparel Association. Her academic, research and service contribution has been recognized by several universities as well as ITAA awards.
About Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel (ESRAP)
Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel (ESRAP) are dedicated change makers supporting the circular economy of clothing and textile practices. Their mission encompasses the environmental, social, cultural, and economic dimensions of the industry. By collaborating and assisting educators across the globe, they engage students at the course level, through internships and on-the-job training. ESRAP invites fellow educators and industry practitioners to share their ideas, concepts and practices while engaging with them in shaping the sustainability practices of the clothing and textile industries.
About International Textile and Apparel Association
International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) advances and advocates for scholars in the textile and apparel disciplines. ITAA is a professional, educational association composed of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education. ITAA welcomes professionals employed in those fields who wish to join with members of the Association in the pursuit of knowledge, interchange of ideas, and dissemination of knowledge through meetings, special events, and publications.
The International Textile and Apparel Association promotes the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge and is a primary resource for its members in strengthening leadership and service to society.