WSU apparel students test real-world skills in UGG footwear challenge

PULLMAN - Drawing inspiration from rugged apparel, sports, and celebrities, students at Washington State University competed to impress footwear company UGG with ideas for how to draw more young men to the brand.

Five teams of student merchandizers in WSU’s Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles (AMDT) tested their knowledge of real-world trends, tactics, and consumer behavior this spring in the capstone challenge of their 450-level strategic planning course. Nine senior executives and creative professionals at Santa Barbara, California-based UGG offered feedback and judged the contest, which asked students to present case studies on collaborations and products that could expand the company’s male market. Winners received UGG gift cards.

“Our consumer research showed that men want more durable and functional shoes,” said Gabriela Servin, who, with teammates Allie McCune, Haley Bergmann, Morgyn Glaser, and Lizbeth Salazar won first place and the challenge’s peer choice award. Their concept, UGG X Carhartt, blended the brands’ comfort, style, and durability.

“They knocked it out of the park with all aspects of design, marketing, target customer, and even a launch strategy,” said Dane Harlan, an UGG channel sales manager who led the AMDT collaboration.

UGG representatives sought a project that could be presented unchanged to senior leaders and designers.

“We were looking for a team that could help us bring in a year-round male consumer that was new to the brand, and also keep him coming back to the brand season after season,” Harlan said.

Each member of the first-place group brought passion for the apparel industry and their project, McCune commented.

“This led to some truly interesting ideas and discussions that helped narrow down our proposal,” she said. “Having the opportunity to create for UGG was so exciting. We were given guidelines for the proposal, but from there, the sky was the limit.”

In their case studies, students conducted consumer surveys to identify preferred products, prices, and styles. Their concepts explored collaborations with influencers, apparel companies, NBA players, and Formula 1 racing drivers, and proposed innovative products like modular shoes or loafer soles made from recycled race-car tires.

“They tackled a real problem that required them to apply critical thinking and creativity, just as they would in a professional setting after graduation,” said Jihyeong Son, the AMDT associate professor leading the course. “This kind of hands-on project is vital to our merchandising curriculum. It not only demonstrates how classroom concepts translate into professional practice but also boosts students’ confidence and preparedness for the industry.”

For UGG, the case studies are a way to gain fresh perspectives on an important target market; for students, Harlan said, there’s no better preparation for work post-graduation.

“We have teams all over the globe, at all stages of their careers, grappling with the same issues that AMDT 450 students dealt with,” he said. “These teams did a professional job of solving real-world questions that we strive to answer every day. I hope these students are able to utilize their work and the insights gained from this project as they interview for jobs after college.”