Aarathi Devakumar is weaving a unique narrative in the world of engineering. With a lifelong love of creativity and technology, she has found her perfect fit in the trendsetting area of design called fashioneering.
Fashioneering combines engineering and fashion to create wearable technology and interactive clothing. The results may be practical, such as a stylish assistive harness to aid with spinal issues, or whimsical, like an automated dress that alights with movement. This interdisciplinary field is an example of how engineering is increasingly intersecting with the arts.
“Engineering gives ideas structure, and art gives them voice. When the two come together, that’s often where something truly new begins,” said Dr. Kiju Lee, associate professor in Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering.
Born in tech-focused San Francisco, Devakumar was surrounded by experiences that ignited her passion from an early age. She discovered engineering through youth coding camps and STEM-focused elementary school organizations. Girl Scouts introduced her to robotics and encouraged creativity and play in programming. Her involvement with Girls Who Code enabled her to tour big-name Silicon Valley companies, providing a glimpse of her possible future.
Devakumar was drawn to the mechatronics track of the Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology (MXET) program at Texas A&M, identifying it as the perfect combination of mechanical, electrical and software knowledge applied in hands-on practices.
“MXET has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she said. “I love the mechanical aspects of the curriculum, like computer-aided design, prototyping and mechanical design, as well as the electronic elements like Arduino, schematics and embedded systems design.”
Due to MXET’s approach of spanning multiple engineering and technology disciplines, the program equips students to succeed across diverse fields.
“MXET has become a hub for attracting talented students who aspire to join futuristic disciplines,” said Dr. Mohamed Gharib, MXET program coordinator. “We proudly welcome these bright minds and empower them to become the innovators and game-changers who will shape the industries of tomorrow.”
Devakumar recently demonstrated her mechatronics skills as a participant in Aggies Invent, an immersive competition promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Her multi-disciplinary team spent the 48-hour intensive design challenge scoping out the assigned project need and developing a solution. Their result combined the functions of a robotic arm, coordinate measuring machines, and AI-driven data, earning them first place and $5,000.
An officer for the Texas A&M University Robotics Team and Leadership Experience (TURTLE), Devakumar founded and leads the Fashionable Assistive System for Health team, whose focus is designing assistive robotic garments.
“I love how robotics allows you to combine something super technical with art and creativity,” she said.
For the latest TURTLE Project Showcase, the group aimed to present a design that was entertaining and aesthetic, demonstrating how robots can be art. They were inspired by the ballet “Swan Lake,” Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” and the Victoria’s Secret wings. The result was an automated ballerina dress with attachable wings, which move via a flex sensor that detects motion and feeds information into an Arduino, an L298 and the wing gear. The dress also lights up and changes colors using an RBG LED connected to fiber optic sensors.
Devakumar’s artistic experiences outside of engineering further fuel her creativity. As a violinist in the Texas A&M Chamber Orchestra and pianist of 14 years, she aspires to bring music into robotics. Additionally, she is shaped by the clothing and jewelry of her South Indian heritage and wants to incorporate those influences into her designs.
“Fashion tells a story about who we are,” she said.
Devakumar is driven to use her love of technology, automation and fashion to make a difference in the world. She seizes every opportunity to grow her expertise and, through her involvement and mentorship, encourages a passion for fashion and innovation in others. She is active in numerous student organizations at Texas A&M, has held internship and research positions, competed in several engineering competitions and works with middle and high school students who are aspiring engineers.
Devakumar hopes to be a positive influence for young girls, as others have been for her.
“I’ve met Dr. Kadian A. Gosler, a fashion tech researcher and designer from London, who has her own 3D printed fabric brand. We are still in touch, and I have been documenting my progress on my TURTLE Robotics project with her,” Devakumar said. “I’ve also met Jenny Wang, the founder of Alta, a fashion AI company. Her company’s app is inspired by a scene in the movie “Clueless,” where Cher uses her computer to choose outfits. I spoke with Wang about my idea of implementing the app onto a physical mirror, like Peloton has, and she found it interesting. She even sponsored my engineering fraternity’s tailgate.”
To document her growth in engineering and advocate for women in STEM, Devakumar began a social media platform in the summer of 2025. She hopes to grow the community and energize the next generation of roboticists and fashioneers. She has plans for a master’s degree in engineering technology and a Ph.D. in robotics engineering, excited to pursue the spotlight as a leader in the future of fashioneering.
By Jennifer Nichols and Vaishnavi Bhat, Texas A&M University College of Engineering
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