Oral History Interview with Lorraine de Wet Howes, April 10, 2016

Authors

Lorraine de Wet Howes, Rhode Island School of Design, Professor Emerita
Eliza J. DeCubellis
RISD Archives, Rhode Island School of DesignFollow

Files

Description

Interview of Lorraine de Wet Howes conducted by Eliza, Kyle, and Meg DeCubellis in Howes' home in Foster, RI on April 10, 2016. Howes, Eliza DeCubellis, and Meg DeCubellis discuss the history of Providence and mayor Buddy Cianci's work to renew the city in the 70s in relation to the Interface Project Howes was a part of. Howes and Meg DeCubellis also recall the importance of industry to the city of Providence and how this relates to the creation of RISD by Helen Metcalf and the focuses of its departments. Along with this, Howes and Meg DeCubellis discuss shifts that happened at RISD, particularly those under Rosanne Somerson.

Biographical/Historical Note

Professor Emerita Lorraine de Wet Howes joined RISD’s Apparel Design department in 1972, becoming its decades-long department head in 1976. Prior to coming to RISD, she studied at Warner Beach College in Natal, South Africa (1951-1953) and the School of Fashion Design, Boston (1957-1958). After working in various jobs in the fashion industry, including modeling, Howes ran her own design house in Boston, Lorraine de Wet, between 1962 and 1972.

Howes was interviewed on April 10, 2016 by Eliza J. DeCubellis, who graduated from Harvard that same year with a BA in Government and is the daughter of Meg DeCubellis, a senior critic in Apparel Design. Produced by Eliza DeCubellis.

Recommended Citation

de Wet Howes, Lorraine; DeCubellis, Eliza J.; and Archives, RISD, "Oral History Interview with Lorraine de Wet Howes, April 10, 2016" (2016). RISD Oral History Project. 17.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/archives_oralhistories/17