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Kathy Mullet, professor in apparel design, explains her design of the new warming sleeve that could be worn by OSU quarterbacks and other football players. Mullet was named Educator of the Year by Apparel Magazine.

Designing a difference in apparel design

OSU professor practices hands-on approach, hopes to inspire students, innovate

By: Aleks Cherednichenko

Posted: 11/1/07

Kathy Mullet wasn't always interested in apparel design. The Virginia Tech graduate thought she was going into forestry or civil engineering.

"One of the classes that I had to take as an undergraduate was apparel design, and I just fell in love with it," Mullet said.

Recently Mullet was named Educator of the Year by Apparel Magazine, a premier trade publication for the apparel industry. Each year the magazine gives the award to an educator who has made innovative contributions to teaching and research while promoting the field of apparel design to students.

"I was nominated through my professional organization, International Textile Apparel Association, to which my department head [Leslie Burns] passed my name," Mullet said.

Mullet is the coordinator of OSU's apparel design program, which has 125 undergraduate students. She teaches four courses through the year, including a flat-pattern-making course in the fall term.

"I've worked at OSU for only three years. Before that I taught at Virginia Tech for about 20," Mullet said. "I told myself if there was ever a job opening here, I'd take it. Well here I am."

Mullet has always been interested in how the human body works and how clothes can help it function. She has worked with companies like Nike and Innovative Sports in designing functional sportswear.

"Being part of the College of Health and Human Sciences has allowed me to collaborate with people in biomechanics," Mullet said. "Which is helpful with my designs."

Mullet also practices what she preaches in the classroom. "I have what I call the 'up-the-arm theory' - if you do it with your hands, it will travel up to your brain."

"I like the fact that she makes this class interesting at 8 o'clock in themorning," said Marcella Owsley, a student in Mullet's class and sophomore in HDFS. "We're actually doing something in class. We're not just sitting there listening to her lecture."

"I try to make what I teach relevant," Mullet said. Her classes are constantly involved in ongoing projects with different companies.

Currently four of Mullet's students are preparing for the Design and Human Environment Symposium, an annual design event that draws people from the apparel industry to campus.

"The students present their designs and get feedback from the advising board," Mullet said.

"Dr. Mullet is much more than an educator of academia, but a challenger of previous constructs of design and aesthetics," said Benjamin Moua, one of the four students involved in the DHE Symposium. "She teaches that fashion is much more than haute couture on a runway; it's an approach to life."

On top of teaching, Mullet is also the advisor for graduate students enrolled in the apparel design master's program.

"Kathy gives me a lot of freedom of what I really want to do or research about," said Traci Tung, a graduate student in the apparel design master's program. "Because I am an international student, this is a strange place to me. Her support lets me know I can do it."

"At one time I had my own business, but I realized that you don't really get to design when you have to take care of the marketing side of the business," Mullet said.

Mullet does consulting work for other companies, which allows her to do what she loves - design.

"I'm working with Innovative Sports, a company out of Eugene, in developing a heated sleeve for quarterbacks," she said.

"I design the garment - it's their job to do the rest of this stuff."

Mullet's students describe her as being extremely helpful. "She's always available if you have questions," said Kimberly Holling, a senior majoring in HDFS. "We're currently working on a huge project, creating a line of garments based on a certain time in history."

Mullet is very passionate about teaching and OSU. "I really enjoy teaching and seeing all the ideas [the students] have."

The article featuring Mullet will run in Apparel Magazine's December issue.

"It's going to be interesting to see people's reaction after the article," she said. "The most rewarding part would be if a past student of mine picks up the magazine and says, 'She was the best teacher I ever had.'"