Dr. Ellen McKinney is an Associate Professor at Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Her field of study is fashion design, where she studies cross-cultural influences in design as well as functional and creative design. As a Fulbright scholar, she got the opportunity to visit Japan and explore her passion for apparel design in depth.

Dr. McKinney found out about the program through an event at her university. “I have always been interested in understanding the impact of culture on my field of clothing and textiles. And Fulbright is a really great match with that because it gives the opportunity to build relationships with someone in another country who is interested in the same things you are interested in,” she says.

Textiles in Japan have been historically and culturally very significant. “The detail is perfect. Every step is thought through,” marvels Dr. McKinney. Despite this, the traditional textile-making practices are slowly dying out. This is threatening not just the cultural heritage but also the livelihoods of the people involved in these practices. To save this dying art, designers have started adopting these textiles in modern apparel. This is what piqued Dr. McKinney’s interest. She wanted to understand and spread this innovative idea, to see if it can be implemented worldwide to save other traditional practices from dying out. Dr. McKinney and her Bunka Gakuen University research partner, professor Watanabe Yuko, interviewed designers from Arlnata, YAMMA, Ay, Mint Designs, and Ruri W.

When Dr. McKinney got the opportunity to conduct her research at Bunka Gakuen University, the top institute in Japan for apparel design, she was elated. She recalls the advanced technology and high-quality facilities of the university. “It was wonderful just to be there and to experience this renowned place and see how they educate their students and prepare them for the industry,” she remarks.

Through Bunka, she toured the Bunka Research Lab for Fashion Textiles—a collaboration between a textile factory adopted by the university and academia. This mutually beneficial partnership had amazed her. The periodic university events had also excited the passionate designer in her. “I had an opportunity to attend the talk where the speaker was a person who worked very closely with Yohji Yamamoto. It was amazing to hear about his career path and design philosophy.

Her work also took her to Bashofu textile makers and Ryukyu Kasuri weavers in Okinawa. She also recalls with excitement how she got the opportunity to walk through the entire handmaking process of Bingata textile at Shiroma in Okinawa, “I think that’s a super unique experience that you would never have an opportunity to do otherwise.” In Kyoto, she learned Tsujigahana dyeing techniques. In Hokkaido she learned about the Ainu culture, their traditional textile practices, and ways to revive that. She fondly remarks on the willingness of Japanese artisans to share their crafts and says, “It tells you something about the culture of Japan that people are very willing to help.”

Now that she is back in the U.S., Dr. McKinney shares her future plans to analyze the data collected with professor Watanabe and publish articles to share her findings. She also says how she is incorporating her learning into her teaching. “The first project we did was looking at Ainu culture and how can that be communicated in the garment,” says Dr. McKinney. Projects on the techniques she learned in Kyoto and the reuse of kimonos are also on the line. “There are a lot of kimonos in Japan that nobody wants anymore. I have a research area in sustainability and zero waste. So that’s another aspect I am looking at.” She also talks about the future possibilities in collaboration with Bunka.

To future researchers who wish to apply to the Fulbright Program, Dr. McKinney says, “Go for it. It will be the best experience of your life.” She recommends attending sessions by Fulbright, talking to colleagues who have applied before, and learning from their experiences.