Connie Ulasewicz

Artist Essentials

Alameda, California
United States
Northern America

Artist Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbu1

I have engaged with textiles and clothing my entire life, starting as a teenager by sewing and personalizing my clothing in our basement in New Jersey. My undergraduate degree helped me understand the value of wool as a fiber that could be cleaned, dyed, spun, and then woven on the looms available to me. Teaching high school home economics for 2 1/2 years after graduation reinforced the importance of garment creation and the confidence it can give to the wearer. I went on to graduate school at the University of Maryland, where for my thesis, I analyzed the meaning of the symbols woven into the coverlet collection recently received by the department.

After moving to California in 1981, my career with ESPRIT enabled me to travel globally to oversee fabric and clothing production. I experienced firsthand the importance of the work done by the men and women who wove, knitted, cut, sewed, finished, and packaged it. Here, I learned about overproduction and how to creatively shorten a container of woven skirts to make them more marketable.

In 1987, a colleague and I launched Lewis & Lee, a line of kids' hats, booties, and bibs made from fabric sourced from fabric jobbers—leftover fabrics from companies—that we produced in San Francisco and sold nationwide. My transition to teaching at the university level in 1993 was motivated by a desire to bring the realities of the garment industry—the good, bad, and ugly—into the classroom. I earned my Ph.D. in 2003 after immersing myself in the juvenile justice system, understanding and documenting the significance of the uniforms worn by the girls in the system for my dissertation. Through 2019, my semesters were filled with teaching and interacting with students while researching, writing, and raising awareness about the social and environmental issues related to our clothing and textile products.

My journey continues as my passion for sharing the value of our clothing and the importance of extending its life through repair, redesign, and reuse continues.