Auburn University's Office of Sustainability, Thrift Club and Apparel Merchandising and Design Association partnered to host an outdoor film event at Pebble Hill on Nov. 14. The event ran from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and included a showing of “Fashion Reimagined,” a documentary that told the story of a young designer's efforts to develop a sustainable and ethical fashion line.
The event raised awareness and provided information on sustainable fashion in a way that appealed to students.
“Every semester we do a film event and I wanted to focus on sustainable fashion, something that’s really accessible to a lot of people. Sustainable fashion is a way that a lot of people can make sustainability happen in their daily lives,” said Emily Moore, junior in environmental science and the outreach coordinator for the Office of Sustainability.
The Office of Sustainability has hosted film nights for years, bringing together students, faculty and staff to discuss important sustainability topics. The film chosen for this event focused on the daughter of an environmental activist and how she designed a sustainable fashion brand from the ground up. It was chosen to encourage attendees to become more sustainable with their own fashion and show that anyone can be sustainable.
“The purpose of our films is to inspire people. We choose positive films that show connection with people or people in natural resources and we bring in worthwhile films,” said Jennifer Morse, the outreach and communications manager for the Office of Sustainability.
The event had free popcorn, hot chocolate and tea set up for attendees to enjoy while watching the film. There were also booths set up for the Auburn Thrift Club and Apparel Merchandising and Design Association to sell merchandise and talk to attendees about how to be more sustainable.
“Sustainability is so much easier than it gets credit for. It really just takes upcycling or trying to mend things you already have or going thrift shopping,” said Ellis Thompson, senior in apparel merchandising and design and president of the Apparel Merchandising Design Association.
Sustainability film events provide an opportunity to learn, engage with and have fun. Attendees were encouraged to mingle and talk to members of the club about sustainability.
“Events like this really connect people who are also interested in sustainability and show them the efforts that are being done especially with Auburn sustainability specifically,” Thompson said.
The event also held a contest for attendees to show off their sustainable outfits and have the chance to win a Taco Mama gift card, as well as numerous other prizes. The winner was chosen based on their outfit and what it meant to them.
“We’re looking for stuff you find with the thrift club or at a thrift store — something secondhand. We’re looking for people that want to participate in the contest and have a story behind the clothes that they’re wearing,” said Yarianna Rangel, sophomore in apparel merchandising and design and the communication specialist for the Office of Sustainability.
This event inspired attendees to consider their role in sustainability and the impact of their choices on the planet.
“Some people don’t know that some of the little decisions they make end up going to a larger problem and events like this give them the knowledge to make smarter decisions,” said Leandro Cogles, freshman in civil engineering and an attendee at the event.
The event gave attendees and members of the organization a chance to discuss fashion and watch the film to see how even the smallest of sustainability efforts could make a big difference.
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