The denim workshop is the second in the five-part Eco Luxury Lab workshops on sustainable fashion
Following the successful launch of the first of the five-part Eco Luxury Laboratory (Eco Lux Lab) workshops, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) is pleased to announce the second in the virtual series that focuses on sustainable fashion.
The online session – titled Denim, Designers and Divas – will be held this Tuesday, 10 November, from 5 pm to 6:30 pm, and will be presented by Bill Curtin, owner of New York-based Blueprint Denim Washhouse (BPD Washhouse). The workshop is open to industry practitioners and members of the public keen to hone their know-how of sustainable practices in the fashion industry.
During the workshop, Curtin will take the audience through the different phases of producing sustainable denim clothing including the processes – such as tinting and washing – typically used to give denim its characteristic look and feel. He will also be sharing his experiences of collaborating with high-end brands and celebrities. Immediately following the session, participants will be given the opportunity to pose questions to, and share their insights with Curtin.
BPD, which calls itself a denim studio, is one of the few facilities to offer both wet and dry processes in the USA. Over the years, the company’s clientele has expanded to include brands such as Ralph Lauren, Converse, Calvin Klein, OshKosh B’gosh, JC Penny, and Tommy Hilfiger. The company has also been holding workshops and exhibitions for individuals and retailers keen to expand their knowledge and skills in the denim industry.
According to Christopher Fink, Chair of Fashion Design at VCUarts Qatar, the initiative offers exciting opportunities for the local Qatar community and students to join forces and engage world class luxury leaders and pioneers who educate and address the new codes and benchmarks of sustainability in the global market today.
In our next series called Denim, Designers and Divas, we will visit the New York-based washhouse of Bill Curtin who is a master in sustainable denim developments and counts international designers and celebrities as dedicated clients.
Eco Lux Lab is a pioneering initiative launched by the Fashion Design department at VCUarts Qatar – a partner university of Qatar Foundation – in response to the growing realisation that current and future generations of designers need to be taught the importance of sustainable fashion. The workshops aim to make participants aware that luxury can be sustainable and beautiful, without having to sacrifice the former for the latter.
With its emphasis on responsible design and community engagement, VCUarts Qatar offers Eco Lux Lab to both its own students as well as the general public. Public response to the first workshop was enthusiastic – places for the online session, featuring Italian master craftsman Rino Magnani, filled up as soon as registration opened.
Upcoming Eco Lux Lab online masterclasses will feature the famous Brooklyn-based fashion illustrator Richard Haines and artist Helen Kirkum from London. Haines’ work has helped the art of fashion illustration re-emerge and slowly nudge aside energy-guzzling processes such as photoshoots, while Kirkum’s range of bespoke sneakers made from waste materials have created a stir in London’s art and fashion circles.
Click HERE to register for the second Eco Lux Lab workshop – and to get a ringside view of sustainable processes in denim production live from New York.
The Eco Lux Lab workshops are supported by the Community and Continuing Education program at VCUarts Qatar. Find out more about VCUarts Qatar at qatar.vcu.edu.
