From trash to treasure
STUDENTS from three leading fashion schools in the country joined the Aboitiz Foundation’s recent Green Fashion Revolution, a fashion design competition that challenges participants to transform what is considered to be waste or trash into wearable and practical apparel, shoes, bags and accessories. This year’s contest featured collections with the theme “Life Flourishing on Land and in Water.” This is the sixth installment since the event was initially launched by Aboitiz Foundation scholars in Cebu in 2012. The School of Fashion and Arts ( SoFA) Design Institute, De La Salle- College of Saint Benilde ( DLS- CSB), and Asia Pacific College ( APC) fielded their creations on a runway show that coincided with the celebration of Earth Day.
The schools recycled approximately 200 kilos of ready-to-be-discarded materials to create their designs.
SoFA Design Institute was awarded Grand Champion, with the students’ collection entitled “Pagbabago (Transition),” inspired by mangrove trees which exemplify resilience and flexibility, being able to thrive both on land and on water.
Benilde’s entry, which placed second, was called “Retaso ( Scraps),” which used discarded denim and Pilmico flour and feed sacks sourced from Aboitiz companies to create clothes that were inspired by the sea. It also received the People’s Choice Award, which was decided on by online voting.
“According to statistics, an average person owns six to 10 pairs of jeans, but only uses three or four pairs. We thought about what happens to those jeans that we just leave in our closets unused or those that we just throw away. We made them into jackets and applied them on the accessories, as well,” said designer and mental health advocate Jean Goulbourn, who is a Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising industry fellow.
APC’s collection, named “Abaddon,” which took third place, aimed to showcase reverse creation and the slow decline of the planet due to carelessness of its stewards.