NEVER LOOKED BETTER: Recycled Scrubs on a Green Carpet (all by STUDENT designers!)

Did you ever imagine scrubs could look this good? We had no idea.

Image of Ginnifer Goodwin: AP Photo/Matt Sayles Credit for 1OAK photos: Robert Curry

Since 1998, the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California has incorporated specific sustainable design courses into the curriculum as well as layered sustainability into all areas of study, both in onsite and online classes. Throughout the year, projects are created to inspire students and teams are developed to promote collaborations between the various areas of study. One such team named themselves 1OAK (One Of A Kind) and declared that their goal was “to design a collection that is timeless, relevant and modern by incorporating innovative processes and practices to ensure sustainability from inception to completion”.

1 OAK is comprised of five students: Priscilla Guimarais, MFA Fashion Design; Kumiko Haruyama, MFA Fashion Design; Nui Tanapornwattana, MFA Fashion and Textile Design; Audrey Wang, MFA Fashion Design; and Tramaine Tillman, MFA Fashion Design.

The students reached out to Kaiser Permanente for discarded hospital scrubs and Landau Uniforms provided them. The students then treated, dyed and pleated the fabric working with local businesses committed to sustainable practices, such as a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified dye house. 1 OAK then recycled the hospital scrubs into a collection of dresses as exquisite as they are sustainable. The team noted, “Our design philosophy and approach reflects ‘less is more’. We wanted to create a classic, minimalist look as a way of expressing ‘slow fashion’, which translates into longevity. We focused on finer details and craftsmanship rather than trends, and created dresses one can wear season after season without feeling outdated.”

Reflecting upon their team experience 1 OAK affirmed that “this has been an inspiring assignment for all of us as we have evolved from being fashion forward consumers into being able to understand, appreciate and execute sustainable, slow fashion”.

SPOTTED: On Sunday, October 25th in Hollywood, California, one of these dresses was worn by actress Ginnifer Goodwin at the 20th Anniversary Environmental Media Association Awards. In addition to being an outspoken vegan and gracing the covers of many magazines, Ginnifer is known for her roles in Big Love, He’s Just Not That Into You and the soon to be released A Single Man (Tom Ford’s directorial debut).

The Environmental Media Association Awards honor film and television productions and individuals that increase public awareness of environmental issues and inspire personal action on these issues. This year marked the 20th Anniversary of the awards. Sir Richard Branson, Centropolis Entertainment, and National Geographic Society & Jason Mraz were honored.

About Academy of Art University:

With nearly 16,000 students, Academy of Art University is the nation’s largest private art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BA, BFA, MA M.Arch and MFA programs in 15 different majors, as well as continuing art education, with classes in Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Photography, and Web Design & New Media. Game Design and Music for Visual Media are the school’s newest majors, offering AA, BFA and MFA degrees. Students can also enroll in flexible online degree programs in most majors. Over 2,000 fashion students study under the guidance of experienced fashion professionals. The School of Fashion houses ten areas of specialization: Fashion Design for Women’s Wear, Men’s Wear, and Children’s Wear; Technical Design; Textile Design; Knitwear Design; Accessory Design; Costume Design; Fashion Illustration; Fashion Journalism; Fashion Merchandising and Visual Merchandising.

1OAK is presently at Vie Bungalow’s showroom in Los Angeles: www.viebungalow.com

To learn more about AAU please visit http://www.academyart.edu/ and visit the school's fashion blog http://www.fashionschooldaily.com/