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At Oregon State University, apparel design is as much about science as it is about art.
So Oregon State's Apparel Design and Merchandising programs are somewhat unique. In comparison
to fashion schools or design programs at other universities and colleges. We are in the context
of a research university and we are in the context of healthy people, healthy planet,
healthy economy, and because of that our focus has been on functional design and consumer
behavior. It's as much about supporting lifestyles as it is about looking good. So, functional
apparel has lots of different definitions but how we define it here at Oregon State
in our apparel design program is that it is for a particular target customer. This may
be an elite athlete, this may be children, this may be someone that is in a wheelchair,
but it's for a specific target customer. We identify that target customer, their lifestyle,
their wants, their needs, their physical abilities, their age, whatever it might be and our problem
solving for that particular customer--what does that elite athlete need? What does that
child need? What does the older consumer need? And focusing then to design for their particular
wants and needs. It's as much about the chemical and physical properties of fabrics as it is
about the cut, and color, of garments. Faculty researchers use high-tech tools like Newton,
OSU's $200,000 test dummy to study the performance of fibers and textiles for real world application.
This is the department of design and human environment's thermal mannekin, and he is
used to compare the thermal properties of various clothing articles and protective gear.
So when we turn him on, what it does is it basically measures the thermal resistance
of the garment. We can use a sweating function where water is pumped through him at a very
specific rate, and there's little pores throughout his body that then begin to saturate his skin,
and then we can also measure the evaporative resistance of whatever it is that he has on
him. And it's as much about the business side of the apparel industry as it is about fashion
trends, and style statements. There are many schools around the world where you can learn
about the apparel business and specifically design. What I would say about Oregon State
is just that the great background that you get in the many other areas besides just the
apparel side of the business. So, really getting to know about business, about international
trade, about accounting and marketing, and really getting a good framework for business
as a whole. And that's what I feel that Oregon State offered me was a great foundation to
catapult into this apparel business. The merchandising classes have become very useful in my everyday
life, and understanding margins and cost impact on companies, as well as the study tours that
I went on while I was in the program. Those have really helped me in the global aspect
of my position, and understanding global consumers, and working with other cultures. So I went
on three study tours during my time in the program, one was to Hong Kong. The next was
to Europe for art and architecture. And the third was to Las Vegas for the Magic Trade
Show. As a sourcing analyst for Columbia, Lauren works with the textile mills and garment
factories all over the world. So in my everyday work, I work with our liaison offices overseas
to discuss cost and margin with them, and negotiate based on units and delivery times
that we need for customers. So going to Hong Kong especially was a really great tool for
me to learn about the Asian culture who I work with every day. OSU graduates have the
skills to hit the marketplace running. And they don't have to go far to build careers
for some of the biggest names in apparel design. The Portland area, more Portland metropolitan
area is a hub for the athletic and outdoor industry anchored by three very large corporations,
Nike, Columbia sportswear, and Adidas America. It has served as a catalyst for a number of
other companies that have grown over the hundred and some years. When we think of the heritage
of the apparel industry in Portland, we think of Pendleton, we think of Danner Boots, we
think of Columbia Sportwear, which started in the 1930s, and now, there are over 300
apparel athletic and outdoor companies that are headquartered in the Portland metropolitan
area. With the only research-based apparel design program on the west coast, OSU has
emerged as a key player in the industry hub. The Portland development commission has identified
the athletic and outdoor industry as one its industry clusters for resource and economic
development. We are the higher education partner for that industry and because of that the
Portland development commission has identified the Portland area as this wonderful quote:
that "Portland is to the outdoor industry as Hollywood is to the film industry." And
so as the higher education partner, we feel a real obligation of really training the leaders
of tomorrow for that industry and for the economic development of Oregon. One of those
OSU-trained industry leaders is Kathleen McNally, creative director for apparel at one of Portland's
top 3 data industry giants, Columbia sportswear. What I've seen in the Northwest in terms of
the industry growing is that these companies like the Nikes and the Columbias that were
foundational to Portland, Oregon--everyone just came here because we were here. It's
grown into quite a dynamic and diverse collection and collaborative environment of outdoor active
energy and creativity. And it's everything from advertising to apparel and footwear and
accessory design. I think it's amazing that a healthy Columbia and a healthy Nike and
a healthy Adidas and all of those--that's a really healthy Portland. And it's a really
healthy, vibrant community. Shaping trends and pushing technologies is what Kathleen
does every day at work. So right now I would say big trends in outdoor activewear specific
for us, the whole idea of the lightest weight, the most compact-able things that have a real
lofty, tactile sensibility to them has resonated really strongly with the consumer. Again,
we kind of merge these two worlds at Columbia between the real technical high-performance
as well as casual, everyday lifestyle, because that's real life. This lightweight, packable
thing is so--it makes sense for both ends of the spectrum for the consumer. So on the
real high-performance end, being able to have the lightest-weight jacket possible, that
still gives you coverage and protection, you can smash into your bag for your day hike--that's
awesome, and also when you think about people in their day-to-day and traveling to and from
work and hopping on the bus and getting in the car, and wanting something that's easy
to put on and off, can wear it transitionally, that's really important, too. And anything
that's soft and tactile, the consumer just immediately gravitates toward. Mens, Womens,
kids, everyone wants something that feels delicious.