EcoJam 2015 Celebrates Diversity in Sustainable Fashion
Eco Jam Fashion Show 2015
Video produced by Werner Elmker Audio-Visual Studio • elmker.com
The decor for EcoJam was simple: a black runway and large tree branches, painted white, on stands. The clothing was anything but.
Every year at EcoJam, each designer brings their unique perspective to the phrase “sustainable fashion.” Some designers feature vintage clothing from decades past. Some create their own lines, using sustainable factories and material sources to produce products. Others opt to use natural materials in every sense of the word, and showcase handmade clothing made of bark and leaves.
For more than two decades, EcoJam has celebrated sustainable fashion. It is a fun community event that raises awareness for environmental issues while also showcasing the creativity of Fairfield designers. The original EcoJam focused on the need to plant more trees. This year’s running theme was the unsustainable amount of water used in the fashion industry today. Over this theme, presented via a slideshow on a projection screen, 10 different lines walked down the runway.
“At the core, EcoJam is a community event which welcomes high fashion and eco-friendly exploration,” says the event’s website. Indeed, the event combined the prestige of a traditional fashion show with a feeling of exploration that encouraged creativity and diversity amongst the designers.
This year saw a pleasant mixture of perspectives on what sustainability can look like – and many of those creating lines were part of our own MIU community.
MIU alumna and staff member Jada Foster’s line, “Fortune Drive,” featured beautiful dresses from her grandmother’s closet, tailored to fit each individual model perfectly. The line was almost entirely modeled by MIU students and alumni, who danced across the stage to fun, upbeat music.
A photo from Jada Foster’s line, “Fortune Drive.”
Natural Selections, a boutique started by MIU alumna Lonica Kufner, showcased its latest additions of organic cotton clothing. The boutique selects inventory from highly-regarded sustainable lines such as PACT and Synergy, and only provides cosmetics, clothing, and accessories that are made of natural or recycled materials. Natural Selections is a Fairfield staple, having been in the square since 1995 (almost as long as EcoJam has taken place!). It was one of the first businesses in the country to carry out this sustainable mission.
MIU’s own Enlightened Leadership International modeled outfits that personified each individual’s idea of what a leader can look like. This ranged across the board from what most would see as “traditional” business attire of a dress shirt and pants to cultural attire, which gave audience members another take on what “traditional” can mean.
“She Carries Her Forest With Her,” by MIU art alumna Megan D. Robinson, was a performance art piece featuring forest-themed upcycled t-shirts. Graduating student Conner Carey is featured in one of her pieces in the featured image for this blog post playing the role of a deer.
MIU student and Maharishi School graduate Hifza Akber showed a line of Pakistani fashions, which were richly detailed with rhinestones and accessories. Her show featured a Bollywood dancing routine in which all the models took part.
One of the most striking lines featured the costumes used for David Lynch MFA film “Last Tree Standing.” These costumes blended sci-fi, steampunk, and natural themes to create a completely unique look that embodies the spirit of Agnes Baginska’s short film. Read more about the “Last Tree Standing” line at the department blog, and the David Lynch MFA films website.
To see details about the other featured designers, visit the EcoJam Facebook. Shots of their collections can be viewed in the video above and the photo gallery below.
The EcoJam event is currently affiliated with EcoFairfield, a non-profit group that educates the Fairfield community on how to be more sustainable. EcoJam has been directed by local designer Jami Johnson since 2014, and will likely be directed by her next year. Fundraising for the 2016 event is slated to start soon.
All Photographs taken by Cody Weber of Weber Photo
