Apparel Merchandising Faculty Present Research at International Textile Conference

submitted

Associate professor Laurie Apple was one of four apparel merchandising and product development faculty members to make presentations at the International Textile and Apparel Association conference in Vancouver. Apple was also registration chair for the conference.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Apparel merchandising and product development faculty members Laurie Apple, Lance Cheramie, Eunjoo Cho and Stephanie Hubert from the U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences made presentations at this year's International Textile and Apparel Association annual conference.

Apple is associate professor, Cho assistant professor, and Cheramie and Hubert instructors in the School of Human Environmental Science's AMPD program.

Apple, who collaborated with clinical associate professor Kathy Smith, presented "Consumer Perceptions of Apparel Fit Satisfaction and Sizing Based Upon 3D Body Scanning and Block Garment Assessment" based on a thesis by Nicole Coury, a master's degree student in apparel merchandising and product development. The study focused on sizing and fit issues, and illustrated how major apparel retailers could benefit by improving sizing systems, which would reduce returns and markdowns. The same size can often vary by several inches, making it difficult for customers to know their actual size.

Cheramie, with assistance from associate professor Leigh Southward and instructor Cynthia Elkins, presented "A Preliminary Analysis of an Interactive Teaching Platform." It focused on classroom attentiveness based on an interactive teaching platform (ITP). With multiple choice and one-word answer questions embedded in PowerPoint presentations, students were more likely to pay attention. Scores on exams for a group exposed to ITP increased 20 percent with attendance up 12 percent.

Hubert, who teamed with Apple and Smith, presented "A Comparison of Perceived Fit Issues of Apparel as it Relates to Body Image and Body Satisfaction Among High School Athletes and Non-Athletes Using 3D Body Scan Technology" based on her master's degree thesis. Her study found high school athletes have more accurate body images, but most high school students reported the same issues with fit.

Cho, who worked with Smith, presented "The Effects of Brand Familiarity on Perceived Risk, Attitude, and Purchase Intentions Toward an Intimate Apparel Brand" based on a thesis by Jennifer Rose, a master's degree student in AMPD. The study found young females familiar with a particular intimate apparel brand are likely to have a low level of psychological and performance risk, which leads to positive attitudes and purchase intentions toward that brand.

The ITAA conference was Nov. 7-11 in Vancouver, Canada. Apple was the registration chair for the conference with Cheramie, Cho and Hubert also serving on the registration committee.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.