The Justice

Anna Benhamou '09, left,evokes a classic pose. Sara Brandenburg/The Justice

It would be easy to turn up your nose at the thought of an eco-friendly,"sustainable materials" fashion show. After all, there's nothing sustainable about an industry that essentially relies on human excess and egocentrism for its continued existence.

Those qualities, however, are likely to remain part of our global society, so we may as well try to make fashion as sustainable as possible.

Taking a step in the right direction was the WiLD: Eco-friendly Fashion show Saturday night. Organized by Students for Environmental Action, the Brandeis Labor Coalition, the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life and other groups, the runway was graced by new fashions from Brandeis and Tufts Universities as well as designers from around the world. In true eco-fashion, the majority of the garments presented during the show were made from such sustainable materials as hemp, organic cotton and bamboo. WiLD even offered $100 to the student who could create the most beautiful garment from sustainable or recycled material.

Resident funny man Ron Kendler '09 warmed up the crowd with his deadpan impression of none other than Al Gore before introducing the first of the evening's performances. Jenn Sheehan '09 opened the show with a lovely rendition of Madonna's "Like a Prayer," strutting confidently about the stage, accompanied by some male model eye candy.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though the organizers had put their best foot forward and forgot to put on their other shoe, as there was a significant drop in energy following the performance. Perhaps the humble folk of the Brandeis community just aren't sure what to do at a fashion show, but after the first round of models, the cheers and hoots became few and far between. You can only cheer on your friends so many times, after all. Still, the student models strutted with great confidence and professional grace, hinting at many hours of practice in front of the mirror. The Adagio Dance Company also performed its piece "Revealer" to a positive reaction from the crowd, picking up some of the energy lost during the runway segments.

As for the student design contest, only Tufts University had answered the organizers' clarion call and sent an entry in the form of a dress made from an umbrella, complete with a model of the solar system on an umbrella frame as an accessory. Naturally, the Brandeis entries faired far better with the crowd, with Aimy Tsao '09 taking home the prize for her incredibly well-constructed dress made from Einstein Bros. cardboard coffee cup holders. Also worthy of mention was Rachel Pfeffer's '08 entry, a two-piece ensemble composed of Archon yearbook photos carefully snipped and pasted together into an entrancing work of art. After another runway segment, organizer and SEA treasurer Justin Kang '09 came out to thank the crowd. "Environmentalism goes beyond solar panels and windmills," he reminded the audience.

Overall, despite a few hiccups and stalling tactics, the show went off without a hitch, filling the Levin Ballroom with enthusiastic observers. Regardless of how much impact the show may have on student shopping habits, there's no doubt that it was an interesting and unique experience for all in attendance.

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