Jihyun Kim Vick, Ph.D.

Dr. Jihyun Kim Vick is a professor and graduate studies coordinator in the School of Fashion at Kent State University in Ohio, USA. She is a seasoned researcher and educator who prepares future leaders in the global fashion industry. For the past two decades, she has developed theoretical frameworks to deepen our understanding of relationships between the digital transformation of fashion retail and consumer behavior in omnichannel retailing (e.g., e-commerce, m-commerce, peer-to-peer resale platforms). She contributes to the fashion SMEs by offering insights into the omnichannel value chain and logistical strategies. With two decades of research and teaching in this area, she has culminated her knowledge and experience into co-authoring a textbook, Omnichannel Retailing for the Fashion Business. This book was published by Fairchild Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, in January 2025.

Another stream of her research delves into consumer psychology and motivation in the context of fashion phenomena, including the positive impacts of garments and appearance management behavior on psychological well-being ("garment therapy" with Joy Mairura), Gen Z Chinese consumers' luxury goods consumption and drop marketing strategies (with Ouya Huang), secondhand luxury and self-esteem in the circular economy (with Donya Darvish), consumers as sellers in the fashion re-commerce marketplace (with Jack Herman), and the impact of social media on male body image and appearance management (with Kylee Payne), to name a few. By researching the intersectionality of luxury fashion and the resale market behavior, she aims to lead the luxury resale industry with pragmatic and impactful solutions and contribute to the sustainable future of the fashion industry. 

During her sabbatical leave in the fall semester of 2022, she worked as a Chief Fashion Officer for a big data startup, UpStyled Fashion, headquartered in NE Ohio. This tech startup company received a National Science Foundation's SBIR Phase I Award to develop open innovation utilizing crowd wisdom and artificial intelligence for a more sustainable future for the global fashion industry. Dr. J served as senior personnel on this federal grant-supported economic development project during her sabbatical leave. UpStyled Fashion employs generative artificial intelligence and machine learning to operate its collaborative and practical platform for industry professionals and fashion startups. 

Dr. J initiated an innovative research project that merges her extensive knowledge of consumer behavior in the luxury fashion sector with advanced AI technology. Her goal is to combine human insight with AI to improve the authentication process for luxury resale items. This initiative aims to boost consumer confidence in purchasing resale luxury goods and to tackle the widespread problem of counterfeit products in the market.

Dr. J's prolific research program has been recognized at the college, university, and international professional organizations. She was selected as a recipient of the College of the Arts' inaugural recognition of Distinguished Achievement in Research or Creative Activity Faculty Award in 2016. Subsequently, the International Textile and Apparel Association’s (ITAA) Mid-Career Excellence Award in 2018 recognized her exceptional contribution to the discipline. The KSU LaunchNet also recognized her as a recipient of the 2020 Paul L. Pfeiffer Faculty Mentor Award for her continued endeavor in advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students on entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2022, KSU’s Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award was bestowed on Dr. J's exceptional contribution and global impact on the field of fashion and textiles. It was the first award-winning of its kind in the history of the School of Fashion. More recently, she was named a recipient of the 2024–25 President's Faculty Excellence Award, the highest recognition bestowed by KSU to recognize exceptional performance by a faculty member that has resulted in national and international recognition.

She served as an associate editor for the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal from 2010–13 and a guest editor of a virtual issue on Body Image and Appearance in Society. She was elected to serve as a secretary of the International Textile and Apparel Association, a premier global professional organization of textile and apparel scholars, from 2024–26. 

Education

• Ph.D., Clothing and Textile, Iowa State University (2004)
• M.A., Apparel and Textiles, Apparel Design concentration, Michigan State University (2000)
• B.S., Home Economics Education, Korea University, Seoul (1998)