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From spacesuits to style icons: University of Delaware fashion grads make their mark on the industry

May 14, 2025

2 min

Sheng Lu
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One of the best measures of a college program is where their alums land after graduation and beyond. In addition to the impressive list of soon-to-be degree holders who have already landed excellent jobs, the University of Delaware's fashion and apparel studies program can boast a roster of alums who now have prominent positions with some of the industry's most iconic companies as well as major retailers. Faculty at UD can talk about the materials that make up the proverbial fabric of their hidden gem of a program on the campus in Newark, Delaware.


A quick snapshot of what some of the alums are up to:

• Two students who have developed materials for space programs, including one who developed spacesuit textiles for future lunar missions.

• A fashion merchandising graduate degree holder who now is a point person for sustainability at Tapestry, the home of iconic brands like Coach and Kate Spade.

• High ranking executive at Target Brands.

• An alum with a resume that includes Ralph Lauren and now Steve Madden.

• Textile assistant with The Kasper Group, whose portfolio includes Nine West, Anne Klein, Kasper, Le Suit and Jones New York.


Among this year's graduates is a star field hockey player from Argentina who landed a job at fashion retailer Moda Operandi; an award-winning student who will continue her pursuit of "changing the world" and making the fashion industry more sustainable as a graduate student at UD; and an entrepreneurship minor who paired her experience playing volleyball with design research that resulted in more comfortable apparel for athletes.


To speak to one of these past or future graduates, contact mediarelations@udel.edu. Faculty from the program are also available for interviews: Huantian Cao, professor and department chair; Sheng Lu, professor and graduate director; and Brenda Shaffer, associate chair and undergraduate director.

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Sheng Lu

Sheng Lu

Professor, Fashion and Apparel Studies

Prof. Lu's research focuses on the economic and business aspects of the global textile and apparel industry.

Fashion apparel supply chainTextile and Apparel Industries‎International TradeSustainability IssuesTrade Policy

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