Recyclable is chic and unique
By Mary Chamaki
The lights dimmed and scene-setting music filled the room. The audience watched as the first model strutted down the runway styling an interwoven piece so artfully designed, that the fact that it was made of newspaper and staples was hardly noticeable.
As the push for sustainability progressively increases on the global political spectrum, the Santa Clara community looks to raise awareness and gain student support in their effort to promote environmental values. In order to instill these values, the Green Club and the Office of Sustainability co-hosted the Eco-Fashion Show, held on Feb. 3, in the Locatelli Center.
Freshman show model Claudia Fernandez said, "The combination of the pieces created for the artists not only served as a spectacle of their talent, but also as an act of awareness, serving as a reminder to every audience member of the setbacks the current fashion industry creates for the future of our planet."
The show was the first of its kind and the large audience, including members of the on-campus environmental community along with active students, strongly alluded to the annual continuation of this event.
Artists used their innate talents to create spectacular garments out of everyday, recyclable items. The creators used items including newspapers, pillow cases, staples and other household items to tie their creations together.
A freshman trio from Swig's SLURP floor came together to both design and model a runway-ready piece, held together with just the use of staples and newspaper. Both of the artists, Claire Overholt and Claire Ryan, along with model Claudia Fernandez are majoring in environmental studies and care deeply about "reversing the downward spiral that is faced by our global atmosphere."
Other designers featured in the show, including Karla Gaitan, Sandy Ledesma, Carly Zipper, Justin Covino and Shawn Warren, came together to shed light on the current trend of "Fast Fashion," changing of items deemed to be in-style so rapidly that it curtails clothing from attaining lengthy usage by its owners.
Sophomore Michelle Tang, President of the Green Club, said, "stores are always changing and adding new styles to their stores so this pushes the garment industry and its workers to work faster and longer hours and with less pay to supply the clothes that we wear. I think that people are always excited about going shopping at those big sales at the malls and are so happy when they buy something for just a few bucks but don't realize that something that cheap has to have a big reason for it being that cheap."
The Eco-Fashion Show was held in connection with the Residency Energy Challenge. Those who attended the show were given the opportunity to gain points for either their RLC or their off-campus community by signing in upon entrance. According to Chloe Fitsmorris, intern for the Office of Sustainability, the Residency Energy Challenge is an ongoing annual event led by the Office of Sustainability that compares the annual levels of sustainability held by each housing unit in order to determine the most energy conscious housing sector. Each RLC has its final annual rating compared to the ratings from its two previous years; additional points earned by student participation in events, such as the fashion show, are factored in as well.
Along with the introduction of the fashion show, the Grassroots Environmental Efforts Now Club holds many events throughout the year, in order to further promote sustainability and provide funding for other community programs. One of the major events held this year is the Swap for Good which the Green Club will be co-hosting along with the Santa Clara Community Action Program, throughout the week of March 28- April 21.
According to Tang, Swap for Good is a grassroots non-profit project that encourages people across the country to host clothing swaps and ask for donations for local domestic violence shelters. Aid is especially necessary during this time of recession since requests for federal-aid from domestic violence shelters have skyrocketed, but funding has plummeted.
"By hosting this Swap for Good, we hope to allow participants to trade unwanted clothing items in exchange for other clothes swapped by others on-campus, giving them the option of swapping ‘one-less' item so that it may be given to a woman or child of Home Safe or to donate to their children and youth education programs." said Tang.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to swap unwanted clothing and donations received from this event will be given to residents of the local Home Safe shelters in Santa Clara and San Jose.
Contact Mary Chamaki at mchamaki@scu.edu