Recycling will once again turn into a fashion statement with FIU’s School of
Architecture’s third annual Eco-Couture Recycling Fashion Show.
The free show will be held on March 31 at the Paul L. Cejas School of
Architecture Building Courtyard at 7 p.m.
Amira Ajlouni, FIU’s architecture alumna and the founder of the Eco-Couture
Recycling Fashion show along with the help of her event partner, Jennifer Luis,
a current architecture graduate student at FIU, are organizing the fashion
show.
“We want this fashion show to inspire people and see recycled materials in a
different light and see discarded materials as something that can be used for in
a lot of different ways,” says Ajlouni.
sydney formal
dress shops
The competition was created with the purpose of promoting sustainability
through fashion and strives to educate and inspire the community about good
recycling habits plus how to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
All FIU students are eligible to submit their outfit drawings. Once the
designs are picked, the designers are able to recreate their ideas into actual
clothes, which will be displayed by models on a runway.
Each outfit is judged on innovation, beauty, craftsmanship and recycled
material.
The panel of judges include Rene Ruiz, designer of Rene Ruiz Couture and Dr.
Constance Silver, acclaimed psychoanalyst, social worker and artist.
The fashion show will also award scholarships to the winners. First place
will receive $1,000, second place will receive $500 and third place will receive
$250.
This year’s runway is expected to showcase more than 50 outfits, all of which
must follow two rules: the outfits must be made of recyclable items and must be
reusable.
“It’s awesome seeing contestants from all different types of majors whether
it’s architecture, medicine or law coming together and being apart of this
fashion show and creating outfits,” said event partner Jennifer Luis.
“I’m always impressed by the outfits. Every year we always see something
beautiful and interesting. One of my favorites was one of the third place
winners from the 2014 show, where there was a dress made of black cable ties
woven together. The students’ works are always well designed and the materials
are unique and the way they use them are innovative,” says Ajlouni.
The first place winners last year were students Susana Alonso and Adrienne
Canter. The concept of their dress was composed of pop tabs, stretchy cord and
cable ties. They put them together through two different weaving techniques.
“Each year, I look forward to the fashion show. It’s another element of the
FIU School of Architecture that enlivens the experience of being a student at
FIU. I’m especially excited to see new ideas in the more than 50 outfits we plan
to showcase this year,” said Juan Brizuela, a mass communications graduate
student.
Eco-Couture started in spring 2014. Ajlouni says that the fashion show was
her thesis project that gained a lot of popularity and drew in a large audience.
Through the collaborative effort of FIU’s School of Architecture and university
student volunteers to arrange this one of a kind recycled fashion show
competition, it has became an annual tradition.
Ajlouni hopes that this event will inspire people to integrate environmental
sustainability into their lifestyles.
“We want people to come and leave with a message. We want people to go home
and question the materials you use on a daily basis and think of a new way to
use it,” said Ajlouni. “This is the best free event you’ll ever go to.”
Read more: black
bridesmaid dresses