Quevedo (left) and Campbell examine the fabric.

Director J.R. Campbell and Associate Professor Vincent Quevedo, of Kent State University's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, were recently collaboratively awarded the International Artist of the Year at the 2010 Fashion Art Biennale in Seoul, South Korea, for their piece titled "DMZ," which stands for de-militarized zone. The cotton jersey knit fabric was digitally printed in the school's TechStyleLab, and was designed by Campbell in Photoshop, while Quevedo took on the creation of the jacket and garment's pattern.

The event drew 104 artists from 17 nations and included a symposium of speakers, performances and the main exhibition on the theme of Fashion Art - War/Peace. The event was held during the G-20 Summit that took place in Seoul Nov. 11-12. The Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors was established in 1999 to bring together representatives from important industrialized and developing economies to discuss issues key to the global economy. Attendees of the summit visited the event and enjoyed the art and performances.

One very positive outcome of Campbell and Quevedo's participation was an invitation extended to the Fashion School by the Chinese government to send 10 students to show their work during China's Fashion Week in March 2011 in Beijing. The chosen students will enjoy an all-expense paid trip and the opportunity to feature their designs for an international audience. Students will be chosen during a competitive process by Campbell and the faculty of the Fashion School.

For more information on the Fashion School and the TechStyleLab, please visit http://www.kent.edu/artscollege/fashion/.