Maria Kurutz

Background & Interest: 

Maria developed her passion for fashion and fabrics from many angles.  A double major from Mount Mary College; Milwaukee, Wisconsin in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising began a blended career emphasis.  Positions and experiences weave back and forth between design, retailing and education through out her career.  She started as Design Assistant at J. H. Collectibles, where she was responsible for garments through all phases of the design process.  Merchandising became her focus as Manager of a specialty retailer, Margie’s Bridal, with a large sales and alterations staff.

Fashion Coordinator for corporate Boston Store followed, where she produced   fashion shows, newsletters and other special events for 6 Milwaukee locations that grew to 36 as the Boston Stores merged with Illinois retailer, P.A. Bergner.  Simultaneous Custom Design work, specializing in formal and bridal attire, and Freelance Fashion Show Coordination fulfilled her interests in the various fashion areas for a number of years.   Later, a new girls clothing line and soft good toys became her primary center of attention as a Freelance Design Assistant for American Girl.

Expanding interests brought her to substitute teaching of numerous subjects including Art and Family and Consumer Education taught to classes ranging from kindergarten through the high school levels.  She was drawn back to the fashion focus, as a Freelance Patternmaker and Prototype Producer for girls clothing and soft good toys.  These two themes of education and fashion combined seamlessly when she accepted her current appointment as Lecturer in the Textile and Apparel Design Program within the Environment, Textiles and Design Department at the School of Human Ecology, UW-Madison.