LaDyra Lyte

LaDyra Lyte, originally from Detroit, MI, is a Teaching Faculty I in the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University, as well as the Director of the Historic Textile and Costume Collection. She earned her B.A.A. in Fashion Merchandising and Design from Central Michigan University and her M.S. in Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising from Louisiana State University, with a dual concentration in Historical/Cultural Aspects of Dress and Apparel Design.

Her design scholarship integrates technical expertise in digital textile design, garment construction, draping, and patternmaking with research interests in material culture, 19th-century fashion, and museum curation. This work is further shaped by creative frameworks including feminist theory, Adinkra semiotics, and the Black diaspora. Lyte regularly presents her research and creative work at academic conferences such as the Costume Society of America (CSA) and the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA).

In addition to her academic work, Lyte is the founder and designer of her own fashion brand, established in 2020, through which she produces custom, made-to-order garments and participates in fashion shows and exhibitions across Detroit. She also brings professional experience in social media and communications, which informs both her teaching and her creative practice.