The sustainable fashion show, “Nothing New Under the Sun,” was held Monday, April 20, in the Student Union Bluffs Room, highlighting sustainable fashion practices while raising awareness for Campus Thread‘s free clothing closet for students.
The free, student-led event kicked off Earth Week and featured a runway show with thrifted and upcycled looks styled by students themselves.
More than 40 students were involved in organizing and participating in the fashion show. The event featured 26 models, drawing around 150 attendees to the Bluffs Room.
“There was a lot of work that went into [the fashion show]. We had 95 outfits, and the styling is a really big part of it,” said fashion show coordinator Emma Gibbons.
Organizers said the show aimed to encourage sustainable fashion practices while demonstrating how clothing can be reused and styled creatively without purchasing new items.
“We do it to bring visibility to Campus Thread, because it is a great resource…and to promote the idea that you don’t need to purchase new things all the time, you can style things in new ways,” Gibbons said.
Campus Thread offers a variety of free clothing items, including jeans, pants, blouses, blazers, shirts, skirts, dresses and UWL apparel.
The organization operates out of two campus locations: the Center for Civil Dialogue & Civic Engagement (CDCE) and Career Services. The Career Services location specifically provides students with professional clothing option, for interviews, internships/jobs and more.
The fashion show partnered with several local La Crosse businesses and brands, including Marcos Apparel, The Wedding Tree, Dales, Rose Street, NOM, State Street and LAX Garage.
The event highlighted how sustainable fashion can be both accessible and community-driven while connecting students with local businesses and campus resources.
Outside of the fashion show, people can drop off donations during their regular hours of operation. Donations must be gently used and ideally clothing such as jeans, pants, skirts, dresses, blouses, shirts, UWL apparel and career clothing.
The Campus Thread is open and available to all students on UWL’s campus regardless of their financial situation.
