Faculty Profile

Education: BS, Chungnam National University, 1992; MS, Chungnam National University, 1994; MS, Ohio State University, 1998; PhD, Ohio State University, 2000. At SPU since 2001.

Dr. Jaeil Lee is a professor and chair of Apparel Design and Merchandising Program at Seattle Pacific University. She has extensive teaching and industry experience in apparel merchandising and apparel product development.

Her experience includes teaching and research positions in universities globally. She received a Fulbright Teaching Award to Burma/Myanmar (2018–19) from the U.S. Department of State and taught an MBA course at Yangon University of Economics and provided workshops and lectures to the fashion industry in Myanmar. She also received a Fulbright Regional Travel Grant and gave public lectures and performed curriculum reviews at universities in Cambodia, including Limkokwing University, National University of Management (NUM) and the SETEC Institute.  

Other guest-teaching invitations globally for Dr. Lee include Seoul National University in Korea, Mongolia International University in Mongolia, and Jian Quiao University in China.

Dr. Lee is the recipient of various awards, including the Distinguished Author Award, Outstanding Professor Award, Outstanding Alumni Award, and Outstanding Service Award.

Her experience in the global fashion industry includes a technical design position at Abercrombie and Fitch, a top clothing retailer in the nation, and a consultant position at LG Fashion in Korea.

Dr. Lee received her doctorate in clothing and textiles from The Ohio State University and completed master degrees from both The Ohio State University and the Chungnam National University in Korea.   
 
She teaches various courses in Apparel Design and Apparel Merchandising. Her research interests are apparel product development and technical design, creative teaching and curriculum development, global apparel merchandising, and social entrepreneurship.

Dr. Lee has authored several notable books. Technical Sourcebook for Designers is the leading college textbook in apparel product design and development. This book has been widely adopted by universities globally. It has been translated into Korean, ‘의류디자이너를 위한 테크니컬 디자인 지침서’ and the book’s Chinese translation, 服装设计师技术手册 - 从服装设计到产品包装的技术全讲解  was also released in China. In 2019, the book was awarded as the Outstanding Textbook (Lee Heungsoo Author Award: ‘이흥수 저술상’) for its impact on clothing and textiles education and industry globally, by the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles.

Dr. Lee has served as a reviewer on several editorial boards, including the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal and Fashion and Textiles Research Journal. She has presented and published her research in the United States and abroad. Her research has appeared in Family and Consumer Sciences Journal, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Korean Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, and many more. Dr. Lee maintains active memberships with several professional organizations including the International Textiles and Apparel Association.

Dr. Lee has a passion for helping young people to find their God-given vision. She is a motivational speaker and best-selling author in her native country, Korea. Her autobiography in Korean, I Design Dreams Everyday, became a best-selling Christian book in Korea in 2006.

Read full story in SPU’s Response magazine. 

Selected publications

Books authored

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2019). Technical Sourcebook for Designers (Lee, J. & Cho, E., Korean Trans.), (2nd ed.). Seoul: Sigma Press. (ISBN: 979-11-62261-52-1).

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2019). Technical Sourcebook for Designers (Donghua University Press, Chinese Trans.), (2nd ed.). Shanghai: Donghua University Press. (ISBN: 978-7-5669-1527-6).

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2019). Technical Sourcebook for Designers (3rd ed.). NY: New York, Fairchild Books. PB:(ISBN:978-1-5013-2840-4). ePDF:(ISBN: 978-1-5013-2841-1).

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2014). Technical Sourcebook for Designers (2nd ed.). NY: New York, Fairchild Books. (ISBN: 978-1-60901-856-6).

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2012). Technical Sourcebook for Designers (Lee, J. & Cho, E., Korean Trans.), (1st ed.). Seoul: Sigma Press. (ISBN: 978-89-97927-17-3).

Lee, J. (2012). Why? Series  — Clothing and Fashion (Reviewed). Seoul: Yerim Publication. (ISBN : 978-89-302-3143-5).

*Why series is #1 best-selling educational book series on various subjects for elementary school students in Korea. The book series was also translated into various languages and having sold over 40 million copies worldwide (September 2011 record).

Lee, J. & Steen, C. (2010). Technical Sourcebook for Designers. NY: New York, Fairchild Books. (ISBN: 978-1-56367-586-7).

Lee, J. (2005). I Design Dreams Everyday. Seoul: Togijangi Publishing House. (ISBN: 89-7782-101-0).
*Autobiography published in Korea, listed as one of the best-sellers in the Christian Korean book market in 2006.

Journal articles

Lee, J. (2020). A Fulbright scholar’s report on Myanmar’s textiles and apparel education, Fashion and Textiles Research Journal. 7:24, 1–9.
Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-020-00212-x

Lee, S., & Lee, J. (2019). Coauthorship Practices, Motivations, and Ethical Applications in Clothing and Textiles Research, Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 47(3), 276–290.

Lee, J., Cho, E, & Kim, E. (2017). Exploration of Textile and Apparel Curriculum in Mongolia from the Academia and Industry Perspectives, Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 45(4), 345–362

Salusso, C., Lee, J., Lee, Y. & Lin, J. (2016). The Perceptions of Apparel Design and Merchandising Students on Creativity and Apparel Design Copyright, International Journal of Costume and Fashion, 16(1), 1–16.

Choi, M. & Lee, J. (2016). Cross-cultural comparison of plus size women’s perception on apparel selection. Journal of the Korean Society Clothing and Textiles, 40(4), 615–630.

Lee, J. & Lee, Y. (2015). Acculturation for fashion consumer behavior: A case of Korean-American families, Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 6 (4), 278–291.

Lee, J. & Lee, Y. (2013). A cultural comparison of sex role identity and attitude toward grooming and recreational apparel shopping behavior among male consumers, Fashion and Textile Research Journal, 15(4), 565–573.

Lee, J., Lee, Y, & Ulasewicz, C. (2011). International and Beyond: Reflecting on the identity of International Textile and Apparel Association. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 29 (2), 165–182.