The Wilson College of Textiles is mourning the loss of professor and former director of Zeis Textiles Extension, Andre West. A beloved colleague, mentor and friend whose creativity, generosity and entrepreneurial spirit left an enduring mark on the college and the people who knew him.

Throughout his career, West had a gift for seeing possibility — in ideas and, most importantly in people. He was known for bringing ideas to life and for creating opportunities for students and colleagues to step forward, take risks and receive recognition for their own work.

A Career in Textiles

West earned his B.S. in textile design from the University of Huddersfield in England. In 2009, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in visual arts from Miami International University of Art and Design followed by his Doctorate in Education in 2012.

For over 40 years, West worked in the textiles industry through fashion trend forecasting, fashion and textile design, manufacturing and retailing. He began his career in London, England as a trend forecaster and designer before moving to Florida. There, he had various professional experiences with places like the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Fashion Week and the Knit Design Group, Inc. 

His career eventually brought him to NC State in 2013 as an assistant professor in the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, advancing to associate professor in 2019 and then full professor in 2024. In 2019, he was named director of the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE). 

Across those roles, West built a legacy that extended far beyond his own accomplishments. West built a legacy of service not only across the Wilson College and NC State communities, but also worldwide. He will be remembered by faculty and students as a champion for others’ success. 

Research and Student Support

West’s research focused primarily on integrating technology into the textile and apparel industry. 

He worked across disciplines, through apparel and fashion design, textile electronics, technical knit design and more. West also led several fashion shows when he was a professor, impacting and leading the creative minds of future designers and creators. 

Ritika Shamdasani ’23, said West created an environment where students feel supported in every aspect of their academic growth. 

He supported students outside of the classroom as well. By taking a holistic approach to his work, he established the Greater Good Textile Group, a student-led organization dedicated to sustainability and advocating for the ethical treatment of textile industry workers. He also helped form the Latinos Unidos en Textiles student organization and acted as the group’s faculty advisor.

West received several awards during his tenure, including international recognition for collaborating with researchers from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Entomology Department through the design and production of mosquito-resistent clothing with no harmful chemicals. The award he was most proud of, though, was the Textile Leader of the Year award he received in 2018, because he was nominated by the students. 

He also focused on researching and developing sustainable materials. West explored the use of hemp as an alternative fiber for military and commercial clothing to lessen the impact of textiles on fast fashion and global warming. 

West held multiple patents across his body of work, led several companies and developed commercially successful products. 

Legacy at NC State

Under West’s leadership, the college made incredible progress in the growth and development of programs, research and entrepreneurship. One of the most visible pieces of West’s legacy can be found today in the W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory, which grew out of  West’s idea to create a prototype lab for ZTE. That early concept helped lay the groundwork for the newly opened Flex Factory, whose planning, design and expansion West helped champion.. 

Through fostering innovation and to showcase the emerging talents of Wilson students, West oversaw the development of the annual Wells Fargo Pitch to the Pack Textile Entrepreneur Pitch Event. This mission connects textile entrepreneurs with the funding they need to turn their bold ideas into a real business.  

Adaline Griffin, a Centennial Scholar, was West’s mentee in the college’s inaugural Pitch to the Pack entrepreneurial competition in 2024. Griffin said West pushed her to be better, do better and think better. 

Under West’s leadership, the organizational restructuring of ZTE was successful while also optimizing revenue streams to drive long-term financial sustainability. During the COVID-19 pandemic, West pivoted the manufacturing operations swiftly and repurposed machinery for the rapid production of critical personal protective equipment (PPE). 

Amongst West’s multiple accomplishments and impacts on the college, he also secured highly competitive federal and international funding. Some highlights include prestigious grants from USAID, which succeeded in training more than 1000 people in northern Honduras to prepare them for jobs in the textile industry, the National Science Foundation (NSF Engines), where he led multiple projects focused on hemp and textile to textile circularity and the Department of Defense (DOD), developing products and building a manufacturing ecosystem to support military needs. 

Remembered by Colleagues

Jeff Joines, associate dean for academic programs said West was one of the sincerest, kindest, most caring humans you will ever meet.  

“He embodied the entrepreneurial spirit. He always had a million great ideas and, unlike others, made most of them happen. He just wanted to make people better and never cared about needing credit, just getting the idea to fruition. I will miss my friend and the many discussions we had about life, students, sports, and, of course, our bets on the Ryder Cup,” said Joines.  

Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean Hinks said West was a true friend and wonderful colleague and will be deeply missed by the entire Wilson College community. West’s mentorship, generosity of time, encouragement and kindness will be cherished by undergraduate and graduate students and alumni. 

“Andre was a tireless advocate for students regardless of their major and was one of the most collaborative colleagues who had the rare ability to combine fashion design with textile engineering and technology to create new innovations, patents and companies,” said Dean Hinks.

Melissa Sharp, interim director of Zeis Textiles Extension, said West was a “truly special human” and he “left an incredible legacy in the college, both physical and cultural, and in the students he mentored over his career.” 

Sharp said West was an incredible mentor, and was the right balance of giving people the space to succeed and the right push when they needed it. West always had the energy of doing the hard work to bring new ideas to life, according to Sharp. Sharp spoke of his incredible career, leading up to his time and leadership at NC State with ZTE where she said West reshaped the program “significantly.” 

“The pandemic hit just nine months into his tenure as director. He not only spent huge amounts of time making masks and facilitating others to help as well, but he also started to think about how to keep ZTE afloat at a time when businesses were turned on their heads and employees were mostly remote. So he started bringing grants into our unit and changed ZTE’s grant work from almost zero to now more than $1M per year.”

Sharp said West taught her about what servant leadership looked like, and was her ‘partner in crime’ for six years, becoming a dear friend and part of her family. 

“I benefitted enormously through his mentorship and championship of me and the work I have led, and I watched him delight in doing this for his students and others in the college too. He genuinely cared about his students’ success and well being, going out of his way to make sure they were supported both academically and personally. I will miss his creative optimism, energy and friendship tremendously,” said Sharp.

West’s legacy can be seen throughout Wilson College in the facilities and programs he helped build, the research and partnerships he helped launch and the ideas he brought to life. But for the students, colleagues and friends who knew him, his most enduring legacy may be found in the people he believed in, encouraged and helped succeed.

West spent his career creating possibilities for others. The Wilson College community will continue to feel the impact of those possibilities for generations to come.