Professor Yuniya Kawamura, winner of the 2026 International Fashion Science Award (IFSA)

Yuniya Kawamura is a professor of Sociology at the Fashion Institute of Technology (State University of New York) and one of the most prominent voices in the study of fashion as a cultural, social, and symbolic phenomenon. Her training a solid academic background—with an MA and PhD from Columbia University—with programs of study Bunka School of Fashion and training FIT, allowing her to bridge the gap between sociological theory and the reality of the industry.

Her most influential work, Fashion-ology (2004), is reference letter for understanding fashion as an institutionalized system, introducing the famous distinction between clothing as a material object and fashion as a symbolic and cultural construct. In addition, she has developed pioneering work on Japanese youth subcultures, processes of legitimization in the global fashion system, qualitative methodologies applied to clothing, dynamics of cultural consumption, and contemporary phenomena such as sneaker collecting.

His publications include:

• The Japanese Revolution in Paris Fashion (2004)
• Fashioning Japanese Subcultures (2025)
• Doing Research in Fashion and Dress (2020)
• Cultural Appropriation in Fashion and Entertainment (2022)
• Sneakers (2016)

In addition, he has received institutional awards such as the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities and the FIT Faculty Excellence Award.

Recognition by the jury

"Yuniya work has expanded the frontiers of research , providing a approach that is essential for understanding the contemporary global system. Her contribution has inspired generations of academics and strengthened the scientific dimension of fashion studies," says Pedro spanish medical residency program, director research ISEM and member of committee .

committee International Fashion Science Award committee is made up of leading academics and experts from various disciplines related to fashion and business:

• Teresa Sádaba (ISEM Fashion Business School, University of Navarra). Chair of committee
• Arch. G. Woodside (Coastal Carolina University, USA)
• Simone Guercini (University of Florence, Italy)
• Lorenzo Cantoni ( University of Lugano, Switzerland)
• Francisco Iniesta ( IESE Business School, Spain)
• Pedro spanish medical residency program (ISEM Fashion Business School, University of Navarra)

awardsubmission

Professor Kawamura will receive the IFSA 2026 in July, within the framework the Global Fashion Management Conference, which this year will be held in Madrid and will bring together researchers, academics, and professionals from the sector to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that are transforming the fashion industry.