Saetbyul Park

Saetbyul Park is an assistant professor in Apparel & Textile Design at Michigan State University. She received her degrees of B.S. and M. S. in Clothing and Textiles from Seoul National University in Korea and her Ph.D. from University of Minnesota, specializing in Apparel Studies with a minor in Anthropology.  She also studied in the Professional Designation Program of Merchandise Product Development at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). She has developed her solid foundation in apparel design and product development through her career as a designer and merchandiser in Korea and the United States. She is a current member of International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) and Costume Society of America (CSA).

Prof. Park’s main research focuses on socio-cultural influence on the aesthetic perspectives of immigrants in the United States. Her interest lies in investigating different migratory experiences among ethnic groups and its influence on their apparel related practices and experiences. An important contribution of the research is to show that the dynamics in the culture of origin and the host culture of immigrants influence their social identity and to find that they modify their attitudes and behaviors on appearance to balance fundamental needs of inclusion and exclusion depending on their cultural contexts. Her research also seeks to examine the growing issues of sustainability and ethical consumption of apparel, concerning how consumers can be responsible in the procedure of apparel consumption and disposal.