UA’s Spring Fashion Show Combines Creativity, Sustainability

The date of this event was changed from what was originally announced.  The new date is reflected, below. 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama apparel design students are asked to venture outside the typical fashion realm during the Tee Time Fashion Show.

The event, slated for Wednesday, April 19, is an annual spring fashion show that focuses on sustainable design for students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences’ department of clothing, textiles and interior design.

Students will create one or two looks that focus on a mix of sustainable design using alternative materials or knit jersey fabrics.

The show not only helps broaden the range of creativity for the students, it helps them develop better time management skills, which is key to the apparel design field, said 22-year-old Haven Moore, a junior from Geiger, majoring in apparel design.

The inspiration behind Moore’s creation evolved from a Pinterest post. She cut up old T-shirts and tied them to a rug canvas, which she then plans on transforming into a dress.

“I’m definitely stepping out of the box with this show, which has been fun,” Moore said. “You can go anywhere you want, be as creative as you want to be.”

Mary Bell, a 21-year-old Dallas native and junior in UA’s apparel design program, was inspired during a recent trip to New York City. She noticed the clothing highlighted in window displays incorporated layers and wondered how best to utilize that approach in her look. Bell decided to create a patchwork poncho using old T-shirts.

“This has definitely been a learning experience,” she said. “It’s good to throw yourself at challenges so you can learn to problem solve, which is big for this field. There are a lot of things that are thrown at you and you have to figure out how to make it work with very little time.”

The T-shirts that many of the students re-purposed were donated by Campus Collections in Northport. Juniors in the apparel design program were tasked with creating their looks solely from the donated shirts, which was the original focus of Tee Time.

Fashion and design students were asked to transform plain white t-shirts into creative and imaginative works of art. Over the years, the event has incorporated other alternative materials, but the goal has always been the same.

“T-Time is held to provide our Apparel Design students an opportunity to use their creative skills in an ‘outside-the-box’ experience and encourages them to think about the responsibility behind all businesses that use up natural resources,” said Paula Robinson, UA instructor in clothing, textiles and interior design.

There are about 35 sophomores, juniors and seniors participating in this year’s event, which begins at 6 p.m. on the front lawn of Doster Hall on UA’s campus. Donations will be taken to help cover the cost of producing the event. The public is invited to attend.