Meet New Assistant Visiting Professor and Alum, Sofia Turco!

Meet Sofia Turco, our new Assistant Visiting Professor of Textile Design! 🌟 An alumna of our program, Sofia is excited to teach print, weave, and knit design. With a background as a jacquard fabric designer at Valdese Weavers, a domestic mill in North Carolina.  She brings a wealth of experience and creativity and is looking forward to sharing that with our students.

She shared that, “My textile design degree prepared me to step into the industry with strong design skills, specifically pattern design, weave construction, and specialized knowledge about jacquard design. Although my job was in the weaving part of the industry, I also utilized skills that I have learned when studying knitting and print design, including repeat layouts and developing a sense of color direction.”

Sofia’s work has been showcased at major industry events and recognized by top retailers and furniture manufacturers like Ballard Designs, Arhaus, and Pottery Barn. “I worked as a designer for residential and commercial upholstery fabrics, I spent a lot of my time editing designs, getting to know complicated weaves, and learned a lot about the manufacturing process. The team I worked with was great and many of them were alums of Jefferson (formerly Philadelphia University).” She added. Sofia continued, “ Developing the fabrics and seeing them through from start to finish was a very rewarding experience. Even more so when I started to see furniture and pillows upholstered with my fabrics in showrooms, retail stores, and even Instagram ads!”

Her teaching philosophy focuses on sustainability, curiosity, and technology, creating a dynamic space for students to explore their creativity. She ended by saying, “I am excited to teach textile design because I want to share what I have learned in the industry with the next groups of designers that will enter the industry. I truly love textile design and want to share my excitement with others who feel the same way. I am currently teaching Survey of Textiles, which is an intro and overview of everything from fiber to fabric and am loving working with the students. I am also enjoying the relationships that I am developing with students in the classroom and am learning a lot from working with them.

Welcome, Sofia! 🎉✨