From the iconic outfits made famous by Michael Jackson to the hit television show “What Not to Wear,” the fashion industry continues to emerge as an impactful influencer in many areas of societal behavior.
Fashion and style, for many years, have been widely accepted as a means of self expression and individuality. Movies, TV shows, social media posts, advertisements and music have all placed emphasis on the importance of fashion and design.
Cotton in the Curriculum, a program created by Cotton Incorporated to assist in the development of future professionals within the fashion industry, has awarded Mourad Krifa, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Fashion at Kent State University, a grant to train aspiring fashion professionals.
Cotton in the Curriculum grants are awarded annually by Cotton Incorporated to professors and scholars whose work focuses on understanding and knowledge about cotton among students preparing for careers in apparel, textiles, or the merchandising of textile products.
Krifa had to develop a proposal that demonstrated a commitment to educate the next generation of developing fashion professionals on the importance of using reliable information to identify and correct issues within the industry. The students learn and practice evidence-based information gathering with issues relevant to cotton performance and sustainability as a central focus.
“We want our students to become thoughtful and influential leaders within the industry,” Krifa said. “That starts with knowing where to look for credible information.”
The rise of social media has inevitably increased the amount of false or non-reliable information. Receiving this grant gives Krifa and other faculty members in the School of Fashion the ability to educate future professionals on the identification of dependable and trustworthy sources for information.
“The amount of information available to students is tremendous,” Krifa said. “However, the validity of the information fluctuates.”
Fashion design and merchandising majors will better learn how to discern information from social media and other available sources. Students will be better equipped with the knowledge and tools to distinguish false information from accurate information.
Krifa emphasized the importance of students evaluating the information targeted to them through a scholarly lens.
“Students should be receiving their information from scholarly and industry sources when it comes to their professional career,” Krifa said. “Opinions from social media and online forums should not be the place to go for credible information regarding our industry.”
Learn more about the School of Fashion.