Fashion With Impact Premier
Fashion With Impact, an ethical fashion show, was held at Simmons College on the evening of November 18, 2008 in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The Fashion With Impact runway featured the newest ethical fashion, inspiring consumers to support the brands striving to make a positive social impact and reduce the eco-footprint of their supply chains.
Fashion With Impact fashion show raised the a-WEAR-ness of over 250 attendees. The runway came to life with the bright sounds of the show’s indie rock soundtrack, and the pizzazz of over thirty-five models dressed head to toe in the looks of over twenty ethical brands.
The show was divided into five chapters: Design; Fiber, Spin & Dye; Cut and Sew; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; and finally Consumption. Each chapter began with short video vignettes featuring interviews with entrepreneurs and designers featured in the show, as well as images and narrative educating consumers on the impacts of the apparel industry. The show also featured an ethical fashion marketplace with several booths represented by brands and designers featured in the show. A local fair trade chocolate company Taza, and fair-trade coffee, Thousand Hills coffee, were also present to offer samples of their fair-trade products. The popular Boston folk band Gretel kept the energy of the crowd going following the show. Educational posters focused on each chapter were placed around the room for before-show stimulation and after-show reinforcement.
Fashion With Impact was made possible through the sponsorship of the Direct Selling Foundation, as well as the donation of apparel from companies such as Edun, Edun Live and Patagonia. The show was led by a highly passionate and collaborative graduate and undergraduate student team, dedicated to changing the way consumers think about their clothes. In the spirit of global entrepreneurship week, the planning and execution of the show was a true entpreneurial adventure that resulted in the launch of an unforgettable event. Many Thanks to all that contributed to its success.
Fashion With Impact promoted brands striving to reduce their environment footprint through practices of sustainable design, re-fashion, eco-fabrics as well as local and green production. Fashion With Impact promoted brands dedicated to fair trade labor practices and international economic development. Fashion With Impact promoted independent designers and entrepreneurs focused on ethical fashion
