Sara B Jablon-Roberts (she/her)


Professor College of Business Management and Marketing Providence

Biography and Expertise

Sara Jablon-Roberts, PhD (she/her), is a Professor in Fashion Merchandising and Retailing at Johnson & Wales University. She earned her doctorate at Iowa State University in Apparel Merchandising and Design and her MFA in Costume Design from New York University. Her research agenda includes the history and socio-psychological aspects of dress (defined as anything done to alter the natural appearance of the human body), costume design, and pedagogy.

Education

PhD
Iowa State University

MFA
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts

BA
University of Pennsylvania

CITI Certification
CITI

CITI Certification
CITI

CITI Certification
CITI

CITI Certification
CITI

ITAA Paper of Distinction Award
International Textile and Apparel Association

Advisor of the Year
Johnson & Wales University

ITAA Paper of Distinction Award
International Textile and Apparel Association

Costume Society of America Scholars’ Roundtable Award
Costume Society of America

Tariffs on Chinese imports set to spike clothing prices (TV)
WJAR NBC10
April 11, 2025
https://turnto10.com/i-team/consumer-advocate/tariffs-on-chinese-imports-set-to-spike-clothing-prices

Providence Place: What’s next for indoor shopping malls? (Internet)
WJAR NBC10
August 20, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qbx1ODGuSQ

Self-checkout reckoning: Retailers reassessing strategy (TV)
WJAR NBC 10
May 20, 2024
https://turnto10.com/i-team/consumer-advocate/self-checkout-reckoning-retailers-reassessing-strategy-money-retail-theft-customer-satisfaction-loyalty-ai-camera-labor-shortage-may-20-2024

Innovation in costume design with Dr. Sara Jablon-Roberts (Podcast)
Innovation Insights
December 23, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WDJ9W6YlW0

American Theatrical Costume Association

United States Institute for Theatre Technology

Costume Society of America

International Textile and Apparel Association

Popular Culture Association

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
Adaptive fashion on social media: A content analysis of posts and comments on the Zappos Adaptive Facebook page
80
1

Clarke, M. & Jablon-Roberts, S.
In America: A content analysis of the 2021 Met Gala
79
1

Jablon-Roberts, S.
Utilizing the personal science framework to teach research methods and theories in a graduate fashion and merchandising class
79
1

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
“Shades for all of us!” – Consumer perceptions of Band-Aid Ourtone bandages
79
1

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
Undergraduate student perceptions of industry guest speakers in the fashion classroom
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
22
3
76-88

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
Virtual guest speakers in fashion courses: Student experiences and expectations
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal
41
1
43-56

Jablon-Roberts, S.
Utilizing a theoretical framework for the creative process of theatrical costume design in a fashion history course
78
1

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
Virtual guest speakers in fashion courses: Student experiences and expectations
78
1

Jablon-Roberts, S. & Dorie, A. & McCracken, A. & Sadachar, A. & Shane-Nichols, A. & Fiore, A. & Curwood, S.
Comparing perceptions of effectiveness of on-campus and hybrid PhD programs
International Journal on E-Learning
20
2
112-136

Jablon-Roberts, S. & McCracken, A.
Undergraduate student perceptions of industry guest speakers in the fashion classroom
77
1

Jablon-Roberts, S. & Simpson, L.
“A whole other animal:” Challenges and opportunities in vending apparel at festivals
77
1

Jablon-Roberts, S.
Teaching textile design to merchandising students
76
1

Jablon-Roberts, S.
Stephen Burrows
Berg Publications

Jablon-Roberts, S. & Sanders, E.
A theoretical framework for the creative process of theatrical costume design for historically set productions
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal
37
1
35-50

Jablon-Roberts, S. & Sanders, E.
The underlying definition of historical accuracy: Using Hillestad’s appearance taxonomy as a framework for defining historical accuracy in theatrical costume design
Dress
45
2
107-125

Jablon-Roberts, S.
Historical costume design
Berg Publications

Forage Certifications in the Fashion Merchandising and Retailing Program
Poster
University Scholarship & Best Practices Expo
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

Using Generative AI in an Introductory Forecasting Assignment
Poster
Annual Conference
International Textiles and Apparel Association
Long Beach
CA
United States

“Can’t wait to see you on our new home:” Comparing Adaptive Posts on the Zappos Adaptive and the Main Zappos Facebook Pages
Poster
Annual Conference
International Textiles and Apparel Association
Long Beach
CA
United States

Using the RISD Museum as a Teaching Tool
Panel Presentation
Johnson & Wales University Scholarship & Best Practices Expo
JWU
Providence
RI

Adaptive fashion on social media: A content analysis of posts and comments on the Zappos Adaptive Facebook page
Oral Presentation
International Textile & Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile & Apparel Association
Baltimore
MD

Consumer perceptions of Band-Aid Ourtone bandages
Oral Presentation
University Scholarship and Best Practices Expo
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

In America: A content analysis of the 2021 Met Gala.
Poster
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Denver
CO

Student Perceptions of Industry Guest Speakers
Poster
Johnson & Wales University Faculty Scholarship Showcase
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

Student Perceptions of Virtual Guest Speakers
Poster
Johnson & Wales University Faculty Scholarship Showcase
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

Utilizing the personal science framework to teach research methods and theories in a graduate fashion and merchandising class
Poster
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Denver
CO

“Shades for all of us!” – Consumer perceptions of Band-Aid Ourtone bandages
Poster
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Denver
CO

Costume Scholarship
Oral Presentation
Annual Workshop
American Theatrical Costume Association
Virtual

Navigating Academic Conferences
Oral Presentation
Annual Workshop
American Theatrical Costume Association
Virtual

Utilizing a theoretical framework for the creative process of theatrical costume design in a fashion history course
Oral Presentation
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Virtual

Virtual guest speakers in fashion courses: Student experiences and expectations
Oral Presentation
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Virtual

Undergraduate student perceptions of industry guest speakers in the fashion classroom
Oral Presentation
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Virtual

“A whole other animal:” Challenges and opportunities in vending apparel at festivals
Oral Presentation
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Virtual

Stephen Burrows: Blackness and funding in the fashion industry
Poster
Johnson & Wales University Faculty Scholarship Showcase
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

Teaching textile design to merchandising students
Oral Presentation
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Las Vegas
NV

“Don’t Forget About Stephen:” The Successes and Challenges of Fashion Designer Stephen Burrows
Oral Presentation
Popular Culture Association National Conference
Popular Culture Association
Washington
DC

A sustainable fashion company’s transition from home to mass production: An exploratory study
Poster
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Cleveland
OH

Are peer presentations an effective instructional tool?
Poster
Johnson & Wales University Faculty Scholarship Showcase
Johnson & Wales University
Providence
RI

Assessment of peer presentations as an instructional tool in an introductory fashion course
Poster
International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference
International Textile and Apparel Association
Cleveland
OH