Life @ Otis : Faculty Life : Faculty Development

Sumi Lee: Trip to Belgium

2011-12 Faculty Development Grant

FacDev 2012 Lee Antwerp Living Fashion Report

Excerpts from the Final Report [PDF]

In Spring 2012, I received a faculty development grant to fund a trip to Belgium to visit the MOMU (Mode Museum), see the current exhibition of Living Fashion Women’s Daily Wear 1750-1950, and attend an annual fashion show of Royal Academy of Fashion in Antwerp.

Apart from the two main focuses that I wrote about for this report, I went to many different museums and special stores to find out the most ‘Flanders’ inspired pieces, which is fundamental for all Belgium fashion designers.

The faculty development grant that made it possible to be in the Belgian cities, to feel and interact with Belgian artworks, and touch collections of fashion designers who have earned my long-term admiration. Furthermore it gave me a valuable opportunity to look back on myself as a fashion educator and question whether or not I was leading my students to think outside of the box well enough, and whether or not I, myself was thinking outside of box before I teach my students.

Sumi Lee
Associate Professor of Fashion