Sha'Mira Covington
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Assistant Professor in Fashion
Dr. Sha'Mira Covington is a scholar-curator with a focus on Black liberation studies within the fashion-industrial complex.
200B Barrow Hall
115 DW Brooks Dr.
Athens, GA 30602
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Polymer, Fiber, and Textile Sciences- International Merchandising emphasis, African American Studies | The University of Georgia | 2023 |
| M.S. | Communications- Public Relations | Syracuse University | 2018 |
| B.S. | Fashion Merchandising, Art History | The University of Georgia | 2011 |
Research
Dr. Covington's research explores the cultural, historical, social, and political significance of fashion and dress within the contexts of colonial domination, anti-colonial resistance, and processes of decolonization.
She brings a wealth of experience from her decade-long career in the fashion retail industry and based on her experiences, her work is deeply influenced by her dedication to decolonizing the industry. Dr. Covington is committed to challenging the traditional paradigms of the fashion-industrial complex by promoting ethical practices, advocating for equitable labor rights, and supporting sustainable production methods. In addition to her research pursuits, she is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of industry leaders and hopes to drive forward-thinking that addresses contemporary challenges in the fashion retail sector, with a focus on creating a more equitable and inclusive industry.
Teaching
TXMI 3210: Fundamentals of Fashion Merchandising
TXMI 3220: Fashion Ethics and Sustainability
TXMI 4230: Dress, Society, and Culture
TXMI 6900: Special Topics in Textiles, Merchandising, and Interiors: Sustainable Fashion Systems
FYOS 1001: Fashion and Black Expressive Culture in the African Diaspora
Awards
| Award Name | Awarded By | Year Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Mellon Building Southern Intersectional Futures Grant | The Institute for Women's and Gender Studies | 2024 |
| Campus Sustainability Grant | UGA Office of Sustainability | 2021 |
| SEC Emerging Scholar | Southeastern Conference | 2021 |
| Graduate Research Award | Willson Center for Humanities and Art | 2021 |
| Graduate Education Advancement Board Fellowship | UGA Graduate School | 2020 |
| Myron G. Burney Service Award | The Black Faculty & Staff Organization | 2019 |
| New Approaches Grant for Diversity and Inclusion | UGA Office of Institutional Diversity | 2019 |
Service
| Organization | Title | Year(s) | Service Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| FACS Faculty Advisory Committee | Assistant Professor Representative | College | |
| Institute for African American Studies | Affiliate Faculty | University | |
| Institute for Women's and Gender Studies | Affiliate Faculty | University | |
| FACS Inclusive Excellence Committee | Member | College | |
| HAUTE Creatives Collective | Faculty Advisor | College | |
| The Agency | Faculty Advisor | College | |
| International Textile and Apparel Association | Member, Secretary of Black in ITAA Affinity Group | 2023-2025 | Professional |
| Association of Black Women Historians | Member | Professional | |
| Costume Society of America | Member | Professional | |
| Black Women Studies Association | Member | Professional | |
| National Black Council of Black Studies | Member | Professional |
Advisory Committee
Current Advisees:
Cammie Hedley, Interdisciplinary Studies Undergraduate
Areas of Expertise
Decolonization in the fashion-industrial complex, Black liberation studies, sustainable fashion systems, and the intersection of race, culture, and fashion politics.
Hobbies and Passions
Yoga, pole dance, and burlesque dance
Current Research
Dr. Covington is currently interested in the myriad of ways that Black women have used embodied modes as liberatory praxis.
Other research interests include:
- Black material culture and museums
- Racial representation within the fashion-industrial complex
- Ecofeminism/ecowomanism and fashion sustainability
- Afrofuturism and fashion sustainability
- Blackness and media
- Afro-Indigenous studies
- Dance performance, politics, and identity
- Black leftist thought and fashion
- Fashion and aesthetics as political tools
- Social justice pedagogy in fashion studies
- Contemplative and culturally sustaining pedagogy
- Race and decolonization pedagogy
- Critical analysis of corporate social responsibility
Dr. Covington is open to working with students and colleagues on interdisciplinary and adjacent projects to these areas.
Journal Articles
Covington, S., Medvedev, K. 2024. “A Woke Brand?: An Analysis of Nike and the Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Fashion-Industrial Complex. Fashion, Style, & Popular Culture.
Weigle, B., & Covington, S. 2022. "The Role of Clothing and Textiles in Defining ‘Family’, a Study of the Narratives from the Former Slave Project". Fashion Studies. https://www.fashionstudies.ca/the-role-of-clothing-and-textiles-in-defining-family
Reed, J., Covington, S., & Medvedev, K. 2022. "Creating Room for Social Justice Pedagogy in Fashion Education". Clothing and Textiles Research Journal.
Covington, S., Medine, C. 2022. “Africana Yogi Personae: Black Yoga Practitioners’ Aesthetic Negotiations in Dress”. The Arrow: A Journal of Wakeful Society, Culture, and Politics.
Covington, S. 2022. “The Narrative Bodies of James Baldwin: A Discussion of Sartorial and Literary Style". Religions
Covington, S., Medvedev, K. 2019. “Dressing for Freedom and Justice”. Clothing Cultures, 6(2), 215-235.
Publications
Covington, S. “Decentering and Decolonizing Fashion”. [Edited textbook chapter introduction for Meanings of Dress].