Chris Baeza is the Associate Program Director and Assistant Teaching Professor of Fashion Industry & Merchandising at Drexel University's Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. Her research focuses on how education can foster social good and significantly impact the textile and fashion industry by influencing students' ethical perceptions, intentions, and behavior. She specializes in design thinking, social entrepreneurship, and design (textile & product), with particular expertise in knitting technology and print design.
With over 20 years of experience as a design and merchandising executive, she has created products for iconic global brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Adidas, and Nordstrom. As VP of Design & Development/Creative Director at Mountain High Hosiery, she managed an $80 million business and served as corporate liaison for major brands, bringing this extensive industry knowledge to her teaching.
Her expertise in sustainable fashion, ethical design, and immersive technology drives innovation in the classroom. As an educator, Chris champions interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential learning, recently leading initiatives such as the Drexel in LA program, the innovative Immersive Experience Studio, the Reworn shop, and an intensive course abroad to Paris featuring a consultancy project with Maison Kitsuné. Her teaching philosophy centers on developing students' ethical awareness, entrepreneurial mindset, and sustainable design practices – preparing them to be transformative leaders in the fashion industry.
Chris's research focuses on integrating ethics, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship into design education. She currently leads several innovative projects, including an initiative to advance design education with world-building for sustainability and climate action (Climate Hub Grant), the development of an immersive Philadelphia textile trail (ANS Museum Innovation Fund), and a comprehensive program bringing transparency to cotton supply chains through virtual reality (Cotton in the Curriculum Grant Program, $40,000). Through the Colonial Academic Alliance Innovate/Collaborate Grant Program ($40,000), she's empowering students to lead climate-resilient change. Her work has been supported by significant funding, including the Mike Edwards Alumni Gift ($50,000) for bridging industry and technology education.
She has published on these topics, including a recent book chapter in "Accelerating Sustainability in Fashion, Apparel, and Textiles" (2024) and peer-reviewed articles on design fiction, ethics, and the evolution of design education. Her innovative approach to teaching and research has led to invitations to speak at numerous industry events, including symposiums on the circular economy, sustainable design, and the future of fashion education.
As an active industry consultant and thought leader, Chris serves on Material Exchange's Advisory Board and contributes to RAISEfashion. She is a board member for Learning to Lead and acts as an external reviewer for institutions like Marist College. Her expertise has been featured in various media outlets, including Woman's World and Drexel Magazine, and she has directed major creative projects including Drexel's annual fashion show production and exhibitions that showcase student innovation.
Chris mentors the next generation of industry leaders through various initiatives, including the Fashion Scholarship Fund Case Study Competition, where her students have won awards totaling $37,500. She also guides high school research projects focusing on sustainable fashion and consumer behavior, extending her impact beyond the university setting.
Chris holds a Master's degree (M.LD) in Leadership Development from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor's degree (BS) in Fashion and Textile Design from Philadelphia University (now Jefferson). She continues to enhance her expertise through professional certifications, including DISC Practitioner and EDITED Level 1 Associate credentials, as well as specialized training in circular fashion and data analytics.
Research and Teaching Interests
- Ethics, social justice and sustainability as important curricular elements in education
- Design thinking and Social Entrepreneurship
- Textile, specifically bio-textiles, and circular material
- Knitting technology
- Can education foster social good and significantly impact the textile & fashion industry by influencing students’ ethical perceptions, intentions and behavior?
Research Projects & Grants
- pending "Cotton of the Carolinas: An Immersive Choosing-Cotton Experience”(Cotton in the Curriculum Grant Program Track 1, Principal Investigator, $40,000, 2025-2026)
- "Immersive Philadelphia Textile Trail: A Virtual Reality Experience at ANS" (ANS Museum Innovation Fund Grant, Co-Principal Investigator, 2024)
- "Building a Sustainable Path: ADVANCING DESIGN Education with World-Building for Sustainability and Climate Action" (Climate Hub Grant, Drexel University, Principal Investigator, 2023)
- "EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO LEAD CLIMATE RESILIENT CHANGE" (Colonial Academic Alliance Innovate/Collaborate Grant Program, $40,000, Co-Principal Investigator, 2021-present)
Completed Research Projects
- "LEAD THE FUTURE ... from concept to consumer" (Mike Edwards Alumni Gift, $50,000, Co-Principal Investigator, 2021-2023)
Recent Panels & Lectures
-
Alumnae panelist and workshop facilitator (interviewing & resume building), Villa Maria Academy Senior Summit, 2026
- Design Forge, Elon University, Panel Designing for Outcomes Through Ethical Design Processes, 2025
- Philadelphia Fashion Incubator: Entrepreneurial Mindset, 2025
- PA Fibershed Panel: Truth about Fast Fashion, Summer 2024
- Philadelphia Fashion Incubator: Entrepreneurial Mindset, 2024
- A SYMPOSIUM ON THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND THE FUTURE OF RETAIL (Panelist), 2022
- COSTCO Packing (Lecture), 2022
- The FUTURE FORUM: Fabricating the Future, 2022
- Fashion Forward: The Back To School Series: How leading fashion institutes expand the boundaries of curricula, 2021
- Philadelphia Fashion Incubator: Sustainable Design, April 2020
Student Research Mentorship
- Faculty Mentor, STAR Scholar, Summer 2021 & 2022
- Professor/Mentor, Fashion Scholarship Fund Case Study Competition Winners (Multiple years, total student awards $80K+)
High School Research Mentorship
- Villa Maria Senior Student Capstone (2023-2024): Trends in fashion industry impacts
- Penn Crest AP Research (2021-2022): Perceptions of Fair-Trade Clothing