The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 53

Published 5/29/13   |   Log In

Designs show organic styles

Freshman Grace Puffert models eco-friendly fashion at Saturday's Fashion Show.
Photo credit: HALEY WILLIAMS/The Falcon.

Runway features student work

By ASHLEY MICHIE, Features Writer

Published: May 19, 2010

A tea bag lay drying on the table as senior Neenah Funk, co-president of Fashion Group, drank tea and looked through the latest JCrew catalog. Funk loved the tiered shift dress in the catalog and the colors of the drying tea bag.

Funk had been contemplating a design made of unconventional materials for the Fashion Group show, so she compiled these ideas into a dress made out of landscape paper, boiled tea bags and used plastic bottles, she said.

On Saturday, designs by Funk and other SPU fashion designers hit the runway for this year's fashion show titled So Fresh, Sew Green, to a crowd of roughly 150. Multicolored computer disks, tea bags, newspapers and phonebooks were among the materials used in the clothing featured at the show in Upper Gwinn Commons.

In textiles class, Funk learned about organic fabric and how farmers are treated harshly; the pesticides used in cotton fields are dangerous, she said. The goal of this show was to educate people on why organic fabric is important, Funk said. Many people believe organic fabric is beneficial for the wearers, but organic fabric matters on the production site, not only on the wearer, she added.

The organic fabric theme was expanded to include sustainable fashion such as recycled fabrics and products. The Fashion Group wanted to show how people can be fashionable and sustainable, Funk said. She wanted to give attendees the resources to make the choices in life to do that, Funk added.

Junior Lucy Kim-Brown models during Saturday night's Fashion Show in Upper Gwinn. Photo credit: HALEY WILLIAMS/The Falcon.

SPU students had their designs -- 24 in all -- modeled by other students during the first half of the show. The models wore dark green eye and lip makeup, which symbolized nature and pollution, Funk said. The models' hair was in a simple bun with a flower. Long necklaces worn by the models complemented the designs being showcased.

The first round showcased designs made of recycled fabrics. One of the garments modeled during this round was designed by sophomore Charlotte Pratt. Out of pillowcases and a dress from a thrift store, Pratt created a rust colored pencil skirt with lace detail partnered with a strapless flower-print bodice. In the same category, freshman Naomi Weima designed a teal dress and yellow ruffled cape.

After this round, senior Benjamin Wynant, master of ceremonies of the event, commented that he had never seen a tablecloth or furniture look so good before.

"I really liked the first line of clothes because they seemed wearable, not just on the runway," junior Rosalee Gammell said.

Junior Jackie Ahrens, who had her designs featured in the first round of the show, said she was excited for her designs to be on the runway for the first time. One of these designs was a blue plaid lace dress created out of men's button up shirts and vintage lace from her grandmother. Her business, Chariots Afire, which specializes in customized orders was started in 2004.

"I love the idea of customers being able to be a part of the design process," Ahrens said.

The second round presented garments which had been created from recycled, unconventional products, Funk said. Junior Holly Wallace, a designer in this category, said the idea of a poker game at the kitchen table inspired her creation: a red dress made out of napkins, placemats, paper clips and a deck of cards.

In round three, models displayed garments made out of organic fabrics obtained without pesticides. These garments, made of organic cotton, hemp and silk blends, included a green sheer strapless dress, a green hooded zipper dress, a long black and white dress with a belt, and a short green long sleeved dress.

Photo credit: HALEY WILLIAMS/The Falcon.

Local vendors including Heal Africa, Deco Modiste, Spoon, Glam and Kate Quinn Organics were chosen by Funk. These vendors presented their fashions during the second half of the show. The show ended with a finale presenting junior Katie Koncilya's natural fashion made of unprocessed material such as plants and branches.

In accordance with the educational element of this show, a five-minute video was shown to visualize the impoverished conditions of conventional cotton farmers. The song "Fix You" by Coldplay aired throughout the video.

Conventional cotton farms cause poverty because they lower the worldwide price of cotton, according to the video. Although the video acknowledged that buying organic cotton will not solve all of the world's problems, it demonstrated how organic cotton can help solve a problem in the world.

After the show wrapped up, guests were invited to eat pie or shop from Heal Africa, Chariots Afire and Common Thread, an SPU crochet club.

"I think people take the SPU fashion program more seriously now," Funk said after the event. "I hope more people are encouraged to participate next year."

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