She has conducted extensive research in Mali, where she explored the revival of traditional textiles as part of the contemporary art and fashion scenes there. Her book on the subject, “Bogolan: Shaping Culture through Cloth in Contemporary Mali,” was published by Smithsonian Institution Press in 2001 and republished with a new preface in 2008 by Indiana University Press. She has also published numerous book chapters and articles on African fashion design, textiles and contemporary arts. Her current research concerns African fashion designers in global markets and African influences on Western fashion design.