Deb Cumming

Deb Cumming

Associate Professor, Ngā Pae Māhutonga Wellington School of Design

Deb Cumming is a fashion designer with more than thirty years of academic experience in design. During her time at Massey University, she has held the roles of Head of the Fashion, Undergraduate Programme leader, and Master of Design coordinator.

 

Deb is an Associate Professor of Fashion with current academic practices that move across undergraduate and postgraduate design fields. Deb supervises Master of Design students and practice-based Doctoral students. Her research practice has a focus on design technical applications that address broader inclusive, social and environmental aspects.

 

Deb's practise in drape and alternative pattern methods, user-centred inclusive design and collaborative projects for exhibitions and contract design works have been awarded national and international awards.

  • Expertise

    Inclusive and Accessible Design, Adaptive Fashion Design, Alternative Apparel Technical design processes

  • Research Highlights

    2024 Cumming, D & Brimer, C., Wayfaring: Cloth & Coat, Social Fabric, Interconnectedness: Patterns and Diversity Symposium, Forum North, Whangārei.

    2023 Cumming, D. Women’s Mess Kit capsule collection design, New Zealand Police.

    2022 Inclusive Operational hijab Awarded Royal Society Te Aparangi’s Tahunui-a-Rangi award Tahunui-a-Rangi is awarded to a person or team who, while in New Zealand, has invented or created a unique and ingenious structure, device, product, design, system, process, service or artefact(s) which is significant in its economic, cultural, social or environmental impact. Operational hijab created for NZ Police and other national and international organisations.

    2021 Operational Hijab Awarded 50 most influential projects and 4th most influential project in the Asia-Pacific region by Project management Institute of New York.

    2019 Cumming, D. & Weaver, N., One-piece pattern cutting: contoured activewear. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education 12(2019):261-271 05.

    2018 Cumming, D & McQuillan H., zero+one (3 coat designs: 4 printed pattern images, catalogue). Unmaking waste exhibition, Adelaide, Australia.

    2014 Cumming, D. & Weaver, N. oneP- wings, Southwark Cathedral London. Campaign for Wool Global Wool Interiors Collection, developed to enable a full-scale transitional wall panel and garment design.

  • Qualifications

    BSc (Canterbury University)
    MDes (Massey University)