Li “Lily” Jiang

Biography

Li (Lily) Jiang, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of fashion design in the School of Design. She is also a fashion design scholar, educator and award-winning creative whose work bridges wearable art, emotional durability and sustainable design innovation. Her research explores how technology, customization systems and user-driven design can transform fashion into deeply personal and enduring experiences.

Jiang is an active member of the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) and the Costume Society of America (CSA). She has received numerous international awards for her designs and research, including recognition from ITAA and the SFTI International Fashion Exhibition in South Korea. She is also a U.S. patent holder for a fit-adjustable nursing bra—an innovation that drew statewide media attention when she and her collaborator were featured on Iowa’s KCCI 8 News (CBS).

Her creative scholarship has been exhibited in 16 national and international juried exhibitions, and her research has been presented globally. She is especially passionate about mentoring emerging designers; her students’ works have also been accepted into international design exhibitions under her guidance.

At Syracuse University, Jiang is committed to fostering inclusive, collaborative and technology-enhanced design education, helping students push creative boundaries while preparing for careers that shape the future of fashion.

Education

• Ph.D., Iowa State University
• M.S., Central Michigan University
• B.A., University of Arts in London-London College of Fashion
• B.A., Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology

Awards and Honors

• 2025 Margaret Rucker Paper of Distinction Award at the International Textiles and Apparel Association (ITAA) annual conference, St. Louis, Missouri
• 2025 Second-place Winner of Research Reports Competition & Publication Series in the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE), Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2023 Joan M. Laughlin Fellowship: Outstanding Continuing Doctoral Student Award at the ITAA annual conference, Baltimore, Maryland
• 2021 Best Artwork Award at the 2021 SFTI International Invited Fashion Exhibition in South Korea
• 2021 Sandra Hutton Award for Excellence in Fiber Arts at ITAA Design Competition
• 2020 ITAA Award for Creative and Innovative Employment of Techniques at ITAA Design Competition
• 2020 Optitex Technology Award at ITAA Design Competition
• 2019 ATEXINC Award for Excellence in Marketable Textile Design at ITAA Design Competition, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 2019 ITAA Innovative Design Scholarship Award at ITAA Design Competition, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 2019 The Best Graduate Student Collection at 2019 Central Michigan University (CMU) Annual Threads Show, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Selected Publications

Sanders, E. A., Lopez Llantuy, N. K., & Jiang, L. (2025). AI avatars in hospitality employee training: Transforming learning through innovation. ICHRIE Research Reports, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.61701/736487.462

Zhang, L. & Jiang, L., (2024) “Precision Redefined: A Pilot Study on Customized Half-Scale Maternity Dress Forms for Accurate Draping,” International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17183

Jiang, L. & Zhang, L., (2022) “Art of Nature, Chambered Nautilus,” International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.15791

Jiang, L. & Eike, R. J., (2022) “The Delicate Awe: Inclusive Eveningwear,” International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.15736

Eike, R. J. & Jiang, L., (2022) “User Centered Design Study: Improvement for the ‘Figure of 9’ Harness,” International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.15794

Jiang, L. & Zhang, L., (2020) “Synthesis of the Art of Science and Innovative Technologies in Creative Apparel Design,” International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12030

Public Engagement & Media

• Sacks, A. (March 27, 2025). Iowa State Pair Patents New Bra for Nursing Mothers. KCCI 8 News
• KCCI-DM (CBS) – KCCI 8 News (March 27, 2025)

Grants

• 2024 STEM Jumpstart Innovation Corps Program Mini-Grant, The Great Lakes I-Corps Hub
• 2023 Great Lakes Innovation Corps Program Mini-Grant, Iowa State I-Corps Program (Part of the Great Lakes I-Corps Hub)