ITAA is a professional, educational association composed of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education.

Yang’s design submission, “Brushstrokes in Red,” was accepted for juried gallery exhibition and won first prize in the ITAA fiber art professional category. The fiery red dress was inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, “Cypresses” (1889).

In her design statement, Yang said the “asymmetrical, one-shoulder silhouette reflects the fiery shape of the cypresses filling the skyline like flames. The main objective of this project was to incorporate Van Gogh’s unique artistic interpretation of nature to a surface design element. To portray swirling, broken brushstrokes, different size silk ribbons were purchased in four different shades of red. However, to achieve more graduated shades of red, the ribbons were individually dyed. Modified princess panels were draped in order to accommodate the angle of the swirls. Pattern pieces were traced on polyester organza blocks and mounted to a customized embroidery frame. The lines for creating swirl movement were then designed on the organza. The silk ribbons were applied with free-hand satin stitches and continuous straight, leaf, and split stitches to express the brush strokes of Van Gogh’s paintings. Consequently, the surface of see-through organza was completely covered with silk ribbon stitches.”

Yang also presented research titled “Interpersonal Skills Needed by Fashion Design Graduates: Focus on Teamwork” during the conference, which was held November 13-17, 2012, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This is the second year that Yang has earned an award during the ITAA conference. In 2011, her design, “Water in the Sky,” won first place the organization’s juried live gallery exhibition in the “innovation in fashion” professional category.