History of the School of Human Ecology

During the Marlatt years, textiles and clothing grew in importance in the curriculum, beginning with the first required course in the spring of 1910 that introduced the students to the chemistry, economics, and aesthetics of clothing and fabrics. In 1913-1914, when Marlatt redesigned the curriculum, students enrolled in introductory courses and then had the option of following a separate track specializing in textiles.

Clothing class, c. 1920

By 1924, these courses were combined into the formal Department of Clothing and Textiles. At the same time, the program area of Applied Art, which in 1927 was renamed Related Art, was also consolidated into a department. Clothing & Textiles and Related Art remained separate, popular departments over the subsequent decades, the former attracting students interested in fashion, clothing construction, and careers in merchandising; the latter serving students with courses in areas such as occupational therapy, interior design and costume design.

Design class, c. 1923

Agatha Norton discussing clothing designs

Over the years, the courses and faculties of the two Departments grew. By the 1960s, the character of these Departments had also changed, reflecting growing career opportunities. Administrators responded to students' interest in these expanding professions by introducing options (later majors) in apparel design and interior design. A significant component of the apparel design major, a joint program of the Related Art and Clothing and Textile Departments, was an internship with the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City. In addition to courses that prepared students for positions in retailing, the Clothing and Textiles Department increasingly emphasized research among its faculty. Research and teaching began to extend beyond Western fashion to embrace a more international perspective, a perspective underscored by the establishment and expansion of the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection.

Marion Brown teaching a draping class, c. 1975

Textile chemistry professor Manfred Wentz with a student

With the School’s reorganization in 1974, Clothing & Textiles and Related Art were combined in a single department, the Department of Environment and Design, shortly after renamed Environment, Textiles, and Design. The scope of this Department encompassed areas such as Apparel Design, Interior Design, Textile Science, and Retailing. In 1993, the Retailing area moved to the Department of Consumer Science. Today, the Department offers two undergraduate majors: Interior Design and Textile & Apparel Design; and a graduate degree in Design Studies.