Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago co-presented the inaugural, star-studded Blue Paradox Sustainable Fashion Show Earth Day event.
Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago, alongside Kristin Mariani of RedShift, and Ian Gerard and Maggie Gillette Sowislo of The Curio, delivered a jaw-dropping program sponsored by SC Johnson that featured the future of fashion at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s Blue Paradox Exhibit.
Attendees showed their support for the twenty student designers and recent graduates across Chicagoland who were selected to unveil how they approach conscious fashion — bridging creativity, wearability, and environmental sustainability.
Up-and-coming designers College of DuPage, Columbia College Chicago, Dominican University, Harper College, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago debuted one outfit highlighting sustainable design principles in practice. Looks ranged from a dress made of repurposed VHS materials to a trench coat made of existing items and responsibly sourced sustainable fabrics, fibers, and materials.
Paired with the runway was a panel featuring America’s Next Top Model Nigel Barker and Kristin Mariani, moderated by NBC Chicago Today’s, Cortney Hall. The trio discussed consumer behavior, the pressure of “new”, and how we can all be a part of the transition to a more fair, just, and sustainable fashion industry.
Full list of designers:
Andrew Nigel Robinson, Elizabeth Herwald, Madeline Mares, Sungwon Kim, Livia Overton, Ro Bradford, Maicah Cabello, Andrew Zheng, Erik Dibos, Rey Barrientes, Presley Baldwin, Kaine Bautista, Emma Mendell, Kiki Peng, Sydney McCormack, Cesar Benavente Oblitas, Tukii Tucker, Yatziri Cervantes, Kelsey Gibson, and Nico Schmalz.
