Meg DeCubellis
Apparel Design alum Meg DeCubellis 83 AP specializes in construction and development with a focus on the intersection of design and manufacturing. Her focus at RISD is on teaching the basics of drafting, draping, textiles, and construction through her Concept to Clothing class.
DeCubellis has been the mentor for various projects, including the Supima Design Competition whose stunning results are shown as part of New York Fashion Week. She has also coordinated projects with Nic+Zoe and the Rockport shoe competition May Each Step You Take Be Sweet, in which students design shoes out of candy donated by Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York.
DeCubellis began her career in NYC at Jack Winter, Inc. and then worked for Mast Industries and The Limited. As design director at Cherry Tree, she oversaw the production of an infant/childrenswear line and earned an Earnie Award from Earnshaw’s Magazine for excellence in children’s outerwear design.
DeCubellis is co-owner of illumiNITE reflective running and cycling gear, which is made locally in Fall River, MA. From her factory location, she also works closely with young designers on developing their collections as VP of Creative Design at Accurate Services. DeCubellis also consults with Nautilus Defense creating technology-forward sewn products and garments.
In her short amount of spare time, DeCubellis runs a nonprofit, Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation, which was founded after the death of her daughter, Katie, at the hands of a drunk driver. Through the KDMF, she and her husband John have addressed more than 200,000 students and military personnel on good decision-making and the dangers of drunk driving and substance abuse.
DeCubellis lives in Narragansett with her husband John.
Academic areas of interest
DeCubellis has always been interested in the construction and function of garments. Her focus at RISD has mostly been with sophomore students and their foundation of drafting, draping, textiles, and construction. She enjoys introducing students to local factories and small-batch manufacturing and how zero waste manufacturing can start at the earliest stages of design.
In her freelance design business, DeCubellis focuses on athletic clothing with reflectivity embedded in screen-printed fabric designs. She has redesigned the running and cycling gear collection for illumiNITE and continues to update and develop the line.