Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies, Doris Saxon Faculty Fellow
130 Stanley Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-6410
E-mail: syoun@missouri.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-0539-5975
Vita (PDF)
Education
PhD, Purdue University; PhD, Hanyang University; MS, Hanyang University; BS Hanyang University.
Bio
Dr. Song-yi Youn is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in Textile and Apparel Management (TAM) at the University of Missouri. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Clothing and Textiles, a Ph.D. in Consumer Behavior, and a second Ph.D. in Retailing and Consumer Studies in the Fashion Industry. Before entering academia, Dr. Youn worked as a market analyst at the Korea Color and Fashion Trend Center, specializing in global fashion market intelligence, consumer insights, and trend forecasting. Her work involved analyzing fashion markets and consumer trends across major global fashion centers and contributing to product development and market strategy projects for luxury fashion brands. As an educator and graduate mentor, she enjoys working closely with students and supporting their academic and professional development. She brings her industry experience into the classroom and encourages students to connect academic knowledge with real-world applications in the fashion and retail industries.
Research Interests
Dr. Youn’s research examines the evolving fashion and retail industry through multiple lenses and analytical approaches, with particular attention to technological innovation and ethical and societal issues. Her research on technological innovation explores how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and digitally mediated technologies, are transforming consumer experiences and interactions in fashion and retail. She is particularly interested in both the opportunities and challenges that arise as new technologies become increasingly integrated into fashion retail environments. Complementing this work, her research on ethical and societal issues examines the relationships among fashion businesses, consumers, and society. This stream of research addresses topics such as corporate social responsibility, brand crises, ethical decision-making, and strategic communication. Across these areas, Dr. Youn seeks to better understand how technological and societal changes are reshaping the fashion and retail marketplace.