IU to designate plaid design

Only four designs remain in the competition for IU’s official plaid.

The contest, which is held by Students in Free Enterprise, kicked off last fall when more than 25 undergraduates submitted variations of plaid in IU’s official cream and crimson colors, as well as up to four additional colors.

The winning plaid design will be licensed and trademarked by IU’s Office of Licensing and Trademarks to be printed on select University merchandise beginning in fall 2012.

SIFE narrowed the initial entries to the top six, which were then presented to a panel of what SIFE President Danielle Thoe called “IU Celebrity Judges.” These judges include fashion blogger Jessica Quirk and Kohl’s Product Development Manager Michael Ping, both IU alumni.

J Thomas Forbes, executive director of the IU Alumni Association, and College of Arts and Sciences administrators also sat on the panel.

“We wanted a mix of people who are really excited about IU and really knew their stuff,” Thoe said.

The panel chose four of the remaining six designs, which now await votes to determine the new signature plaid.

Designers used computer software to design their plaids, said Ashley Hasty, professor of apparel merchandising and SIFE advisor. Besides the additional colors, designers could choose line widths and make specifications about the placement of those lines.

Thoe said the demand for a signature plaid is growing in colleges nationwide, with about a dozen touting their own trademarked designs.

“Ultimately, it was an opportunity for students to express their school spirit in a unique way,” Hasty said.

Hasty said the competition also creates merchandising opportunities that could be learning experiences for students, particularly those who are in the field of fashion design or apparel merchandising.

“It’s giving students an opportunity to engage in the design and production of apparel and other collegiate items that would be of interest to students, faculty and alumni,” she said.

SIFE’s initial vision for the plaid involved scarves, ties and accessory pieces. Hasty said she hopes the plaid will bring about a host of new IU apparel and other products.

“The uses for plaid are only limited to the students’ imaginations,” she said.
She also said she hopes to see the winning plaid incorporated in iPhone cases.
Although there are no plans for the designer of the winning plaid to receive compensation for the design based on merchandise sales, he or she will get to see the design used for years to come.

“That’s something that’s going to be really cool for the student whose plaid is chosen,” Thoe said. “Twenty years from now, they can come back and the plaid that people are wearing on campus or the plaid that’s being sold in the bookstore is their design.”

To vote, visit college.indiana.edu/iuplaid. Voting closes Feb. 21.