While Redress Raleigh 2010 will be moving further away from campus to Downtown Raleigh instead of happening on Hillsborough Street this year, the connection to campus will remain strong as the proceeds from the eco-friendly fashion show will continue to benefit MorLove, a philanthropic organization founded by Mor Aframian, who graduated from the College of Textiles in May.
MorLove benefits Amani Baby Cottage in Jinja, Uganda, an orphanage where children aged six or younger live, most because their parents died from HIV complications. Aframian said half the children living at the cottage are HIV positive.
“[The children] don’t really have a voice of their own,” she said. “Africa, in general, is just a very poor country.”
Aframian said though a lot of aid is sent to the continent, a focus on helping the youth population could lead to the next generation wanting to help others as they were helped in their childhood.
She said the textiles background she gained at the University married well with her passion to aid others when she conceptualized the idea for MorLove.
“I learned a lot about the waste and pollution that comes from producing textiles,” she said of her education at NCSU. “I really wanted to bring the two aspects of my life together as far as human rights activism and sustainability. One day I decided this is what I want to do with my life.”
Redress Raleigh is seeking designers for its show, which is tentatively scheduled for April 17 at a venue not yet determined.
The fashion show puts an emphasis on eco-friendly fabrics and fashions, and organizers are looking for designers that share an infatuation for green styles, though that won’t limit the creativity the show will employ according to Redress Raleigh Coproducer Jamie Powell.
“Aside from being eco-friendly and wearable, we’re wide open,” she said of the types of designers Redress is looking for. “As far as styles of clothing, we really want a diverse range of styles.”
Those who were involved with last year’s show were invited to participate again via e-mail Monday, but many Textiles students were also included in the invitation.
“There’s a lot of talent in the College of Textiles, so we wanted to get the word out to all those students who may be interested in applying,” Powell said.
Powell said the show was meant to be a jumping off point for designers, but that local business owners often attend the show seeking ideas and concepts.
“There’s a chance they’ll get seen and they’ll be contacted,” she said. “The sky’s the limit.”
Beyond designers, the show needs volunteers to help out with lighting, seating, backstage and publicity. Powell said last year more than 100 people were involved in putting the show together.
“We definitely still need volunteers,” Powell said. “Especially in fundraising.”
Powell said more fundraising ahead of the show to fund it will lead to more money to be donated to MorLove.
Shari Bolar is the creative director and producer of Revolution Couture, a fashion show planned to raise funds for Redress. The show will be held Dec. 4 at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church on Hillsborough Street.
Bolar said more fashion designers are taking greener approaches to their craft, and her show was an opportunity for her to benefit MorLove through Redress.
“A lot of fashion shows we’ve had in Raleigh and designers are becoming more green. We use more clothes that are made from recyclable materials,” Bolar said. “I wanted to help [Redress] in some way, and basically I wanted to represent the change that is happeneing in Raleigh.”
Bolar also has a passion for humanitarian aid as she was impacted by a film about children in Uganda.
“I saw their suffering and I want to help,” she said. “I feel like this is a really good opportunity for everyone to go beyond themselves and help people in need and also enjoy something helpful to our earth.”
Bolar said the show had a broader purpose than most.
“We’re helping people and we’re helping our earth by doing something we love,” she said. “While we’re helping each other out we’re helping out other people that need our help.”
