Katrin Schnabl

Katrin Schnabl is a Professor in the Fashion Design department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She holds a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York (1995). As a key figure in shaping SAIC's fashion curriculum, she co-created the graduate program 'Fashion, Body and Garment' in 2008. Her work bridges dance, performance, and fashion, emphasizing transformative garment design and spatial interaction.

Education:

• BFA in Fashion Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, 1995

Research Interests: Schnabl’s practice integrates kinetic energy, sound, and spatial navigation into fashion design. Her collaborations with post-modern dance artists focus on body-centric garments that empower wearers and engage viewers. She explores pattern-cutting as a conceptual tool and investigates performance wear’s intersection with high-tech materials.

Awards:

• NYSCA Individual Artist Grant (Chicago)
• US Patent (specific details unspecified)

Advising & Curriculum: A dedicated mentor, Schnabl has shaped SAIC’s fashion pedagogy through courses like 'Elastic Limbs' and 'Spatial Habitats.' Her tenure-track role since 2005 reflects her institutional impact.

Labs/Teams: Core contributor to SAIC’s Fashion, Body and Garment program, fostering cross-disciplinary exploration between fashion, performance, and architecture.