Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design
Spring Splash '08!
Following successful events in 2004 , 2005, 2006, and 2007 the Department held its fifth Spring Splash Fundraiser. As usual, the event featured a show of fashions by the best of the designers amongst the department's majors. The event celebrated the department's ties with Industry, recognized achievements of its alumnae, and distributed scholarships to deserving students.
For 2008 we celebrated the TMD Department’s Italian connections with a Bella Moda fashion show. In the fall of 2006 we launched an initiative encouraging students to declare a second major in a “fashion” language, either French or Italian. The Italian Studies program, under the supervision of section head Catherine Sama, has been most supportive and enthusiastic. To date, five students are enrolled in the dual degree program in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design and Italian. Three others are completing minors in Italian. Additionally, we have been sending many students to study in Florence or Rome every semester. This spring we have a record sixteen students in Florence. The Italian theme was accentuated as the models displayed student creations to Italian music provided by Michelangelo La Luna, Assistant Professor of Italian.
More than 200 people attended the event in URI's Memorial Union following a reception at the University Club sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Palmer. The event raised money to support Student scholarships. The major sponsor was Blue Holdings, Inc., with additional generous donations from TJX Corporation, International Garment Finish, Mandee Shops. Mr and Mrs Glenn S. Palmer sponsored the reception.
Scholarship Awards
The Textile Advisory Board designates a portion of each
year’s Spring Splash monies for scholarships. Four $1000 scholarships are
offered to qualified majors who demonstrate scholarly achievement and financial
need. The TJX Foundation funded three scholarships. Two TMD alums donated $500
to aid a deserving student. Cranston Print Works donated $500 for us to use as
we saw fit; we decided on a scholarship. Lastly, a $500 Linda Welters Study
Abroad scholarship is available for qualified Rhode Island residents.
Spring Splash Scholarships were awarded to Michaela Kiley,
(sophomore from Hope Valley, Rhode Island), Stephanie Nash, (sophomore
from Southington, Connecticut), Stephanie Romano (junior from West Caldwell, New
Jersey) and Jasmine Souza (Sophomore, from Woonsocket, RI)
TJX Foundation Scholarships went to
Jacki Floyd (Sophomore, from Lenox MA) Kelly Oliveira (sophomore TMD major from
Providence, Rhode Island) and Leora Tanzer (sophomore from New
Jersey.)
The TMD
Alumni Scholarship was awarded to Stephanie Pati, a junior from Warwick
RI
The Cranston
Print Works Scholarship went to Ashley Sayers, one of our five TMD—Italian
double majors. She is a sophomore from Butler, New Jersey.
The Linda Welters Study Abroad Scholarship went to Shannon Enander, a
sophomore from Manville, Rhode Island. Shannon will be studying in Florence,
Italy during the Spring of 2009.
This year, the Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design
Department recognized three organizations for their contributions to our
programs through Partner Awards.
Blue Holdings, Inc., based in Commerce, California, was founded in
September 2004. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Antik Denim, LLC, Blue
Holdings designs, manufactures, and markets high-end vintage denim fashion
jeans, apparel and accessories with an Old West flair.
The Company is managed by seasoned fashion industry executives and
professionals, and currently has over 122 employees. Besides owning the “Antik
Denim” brand, the Company is a licensee of three other brands: “Taverniti So
Jeans”, “Faith Connexion” and “Yanuk”. Glenn Palmer, who heads our
Textile Advisory Board, is President and CEO.
Lectra USA, Inc. Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology
solutions (software, cutting systems and associated services) dedicated to
industrial users of textiles and leather. With a worldwide staff, Lectra
accompanies customers around the world in diversified market sectors such as
fashion (apparel, accessories, footwear), automotive (car seats and interiors,
airbags), furniture, aeronautical and marine. In 2007, Lectra donated over $1
million in software to augment the Department’s grant-funded purchase of
CAD/CAM equipment.
Italian Studies, URI. In 2006,
TMD and the Italian section of the Modern and Classical Languages Department
developed a plan to promote “double majors” in TMD and a “fashion”
language. Through the dedication and enthusiasm of Cat Sama and Michelangelo La
Luna, we have five students majoring in both Italian and TMD. Several other
students have declared a minor in Italian.
Alumnae Wall of Fame
This year, we celebrated the achievements of three more
illustrious alumnae...
Patricia Weeden received her MS
degree in Textiles, Clothing and Related Art in 1961. She has a longer
association with the university, however. Not
only did she receive her bachelor’s degree from URI, but Ballentine Hall was
named after her father. Pat taught in the TMD Department for 27 years, retiring
in 1988. She spent a sabbatical leave at Brown University where she worked on
the problem of the cyclical nature of fashion. She published “Study Patterned
on Kroeber’s Investigation of Style” in the journal Dress
in 1977, which became a classic in the field. Since retiring, Pat has kept busy
by volunteering at the South County Museum in Narragansett where she curates the
textile and costume collection.
Louann Spirito
received her BS degree with an emphasis in textile science in 1976. She is
currently Director of Technical Support, Softlines at SGS US Testing Company,
Consumer Testing Services in Fairfield, New
Jersey. Louann started her career with SGS as supervisor of the Care Label Lab.
Louann has also been Divisional Vice President, Quality Assurance at
Frederick Atkins, Inc., a top US apparel and home furnishings buying group.
Prior to working at Frederick Atkins, she worked in Quality Assurance for Calvin
Klein, Inc. From 1981 to 1997, she was a Product Evaluation Specialist for AMC
where she designed, implemented and monitored the testing plan for analysis of
AMC’s private label programs.
Matthew
McGrath graduated
from URI in 1998 with a BS in Textile Marketing. He immediately went to work for
Warnaco’s technical center in Westerly, Rhode Island where he toiled in
quality control for several years. He returned to URI to complete an MS in
historic textiles, claiming on his application that he “missed the world of
academics.” He continued his education at Florida State
University
where he earned a PhD in 2006. Now he is an assistant professor at Framingham
State College in Framingham,
Massachusetts
where he teaches a wide range of courses including historic textiles and museum
studies.
Fashion Show
The Fashion show itself, with the theme of "Bella Moda" featured more than 50 designs by 14 designers. It was judged by Wendy Roworth, Professor of Art History at the University of Rhode Island, Janet Hethorn, Professor of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, and Young Ju Lee, Associate Professor from Kyungsung University in Korea and currently a visiting scholar in the TMD Department. Thanks are also due to Jane Headley, a Master Seamstress II instructor and a URI graduate, Diane Martin, President of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals and Barbara Pagh, Professor and Chair of the URI Art Department, who conducted the prejudging.
Thanks are due to....Toon Choody and Karl Aspelund – graphic designer, Michaelangelo LaLuna – music, Susan Hannel – fashion show coordinator, Claire Kapstein - Master of Ceremonies, Yvette Harps-Logan –reservations, Valerie Morgan-Addison –mailing and tickets, Abby Lillethun – scene designer, Margaret Ordoñez –judges, Linda Welters – scholarships, invitation and brochure text, TMD 346 (CAD) students decoration and production assistance, TMD 442 (Fashion Promotion) students – advertising, decoration.
| Photos from the evening ..... | ||
| (courtesy of URI News Bureau and photographer Michael Salerno) | ||
|
. |
||
| Scholarships....... | ||
|
|
 |
|
|
Abby Lillethun with Michaela Kiley.... |
........Stephanie Nash..... |
..........Stephanie Romano |
|
 |
|
|
......and Leora Tanzer |
Also receiving scholarships were...Kelly Oliveira, |
Jacki Floyd |
 
|
 |
|
|
Stephanie Pati, Ashley Sayers |
Jasmine Souza, |
and Shannon Enander, who received the Linda Welters Study Abroad Award |
| From the Fashion Show.... | ||
|
|
|
|
|
Designed by Titilola Oyegunie-Martins |
Designed by Jenna Richards |
Designed by Katie Newell, and modeled by her mother, Deborah |
 |
|
||
|
Judges Janet Hethorn and Wendy Rowarth watch carefully |
First place winner Chelsea Carson (right) with her models |
||
|
|
  |
||
|
Second Place Winner Katy Imswiler. |
and third place for Jennifer Robinson (left) and her designs | ||
|
 |
||
| Honorable mentions went to Emily Pascoe, .... | and Julie DeFuria, seen here with Sookhyun Kim | ||
|
The Alumna Hall of Fame. We welcomed... |
||
 |
 |
 |
|
Louann Spirito, seen here with Linda Welters, ..... |
Matthew McGrath.... |
and Pat Weeden |
| Dean Lynn McKinney says "Thanks for support" to.... | ||
 |
|
 |
|
Michaelangelo LaLuna and Cat Sama of URI's Italian Studies Program |
Tommy Morgan of Lectra USA, Inc. |
and Glenn Palmer of Blue Holdings |
Return to the TMD home page
