Karen Currington Rippy, 2022 November 29, 2022 November 29
Scope and Contents
The Soul Club Oral History Project is an initiative of the FIT Library, inspired by the Soul Club fashion shows’ exuberance, positivity, dynamism, and joy. For this oral history project, FIT alumni and faculty members are interviewed about their participation and experience in the Soul Club. The goal of this project is to explore FIT’s rich and diverse history and uplift, amplify, and publicly share the stories of Black fashion students and faculty members as told by the community members themselves.
Taur Orange, interviewer, is the head of Educational Opportunity Programs at FIT.
Dates
- Creation: 2022 November 29
Creator
- Curinton Rippy, Karen (Person)
- Orange, Taur (Person)
Language of Materials
English Latin
Conditions Governing Access
Access is open to researchers by appointment at the Fashion Institute of Technology Library, Department of Special Collections and FIT Archive. If you have any questions, or wish to schedule an appointment contact us at [email protected] or call (212) 217-4385.
The contents of this collection are also available to the public via our Archive on Demand repository: https://archiveondemand.fitnyc.edu/items/browse?collection=22
Biographical / Historical
Karen Curinton Rippy graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with AAS and BFA degrees. While at FIT. Karen joined the Soul Club and was part of the Soul Fashion Show from 1980-1991, designing clothes and modeling for the annual show. Karen received the Designer of the Year title in 1990. Karen has been an adjunct professor at FIT for 32 years, and an adjunct faculty member at Parsons School of Design since 2005. In 2015 Prof. Curinton Rippy retired from the Pratt Institute after 16 years.
Karen has had a full career in the intimate apparel, swimwear, and athleisure industry, working for Jack Murphy Lougewear, Bill Tice, Martha Colon, Victoria’s Secret, and Adore Me, an online lingerie company. At Parsons/The New School, Karen wrote the curriculum and taught the first lingerie fundamentals course in 2014, and also the swim/athleisure course in 2017.
Karen has won many “Excellence in Design” awards and in 2013 received the AFD Faculty Award from the School of Fashion at Parsons.
As a hobby, Karen makes ethnic fabric dolls and one of a kind treasures.
Biographical / Historical
Taur Orange is the head of Educational Opportunity Programs at FIT.
Full Extent
From the Sub-Group: 1 placeholder
Existence and Location of Copies
* Watch this interview on Archive on Demand: https://archiveondemand.fitnyc.edu/items/show/1880
General
Karen Curinton Rippy graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with AAS and BFA degrees. While at FIT. Karen joined the Soul Club and was part of the Soul Fashion Show from 1980-1991, designing clothes and modeling for the annual show. Karen received the Designer of the Year title in 1990. Karen has been an adjunct professor at FIT for 32 years, and an adjunct faculty member at Parsons School of Design since 2005. In 2015 Prof. Curinton Rippy retired from the Pratt Institute after 16 years.
Karen has had a full career in the intimate apparel, swimwear, and athleisure industry, working for Jack Murphy Lougewear, Bill Tice, Martha Colon, Victoria’s Secret, and Adore Me, an online lingerie company. At Parsons/The New School, Karen wrote the curriculum and taught the first lingerie fundamentals course in 2014, and also the swim/athleisure course in 2017.
Karen has won many “Excellence in Design” awards and in 2013 received the AFD Faculty Award from the School of Fashion at Parsons.
As a hobby, Karen makes ethnic fabric dolls and one of a kind treasures.
General
Taur Orange is the head of Educational Opportunity Programs at FIT.
General
Published
Subject
- Curinton Rippy, Karen (subject, Person)
- Orange, Taur (subject, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and FIT Archive Repository