The Transformed Treasures Collab.
Design students transform old clothes into new treasures with The Salvation Army
Article Courtesy of Emily Anderson - Social Media Editor, New Frontier Publications
Music blared at the Santa Monica College courtyard in mid-June, providing a steady beat for a parade of models showing off couture created by the college’s design students.
As the models strutted around the final corner of the runway, they each passed a line of five mannequins sporting denim looks— a corset, collar, coat and several dresses— also designed by students.
But unlike other designs on the runway, the denim pieces weren’t completely new. Originally, their material came from denim jeans and jackets donated to The Salvation Army.
When certain pieces of denim didn’t sell in our Salvation Army Thrift Stores, we saw a unique opportunity and reached out to Santa Monica College to propose an innovative collaboration.
The proposition was that The Salvation Army would donate 150 pairs of denim jeans to the fashion students at SMC.
These jeans would serve as a canvas for the students to rework in any way they see fit, whether it be through painting, cropping, sewing, or any other creative means. The three best pieces would win $200, $100 and $50 prizes and be displayed at The Salvation Army Testify Congress, hosted June 14-16, 2024 in Pasadena, California.
The project aimed to raise awareness for the rehabilitation programs supported by Salvation Army Thrift Stores, that provide spiritual, emotional and social assistance to individuals who are experiencing a variety of challenges, including issues relating to homelessness and substance abuse.
Obed Garcia, who claimed the second place prize, said our mission provided direct inspiration for his design— a pleated denim mini-dress adorned with roses.
“I love the idea that you can go through fire and come out smelling like roses,” Garcia said.
In addition to providing second chances for community members, the challenge also provided an opportunity to address deepening concerns about the fashion industry’s environmental impact.
Already, The Salvation Army Western Territory extends the life of garments, diverting 52.3 million pounds of textiles from the landfill last year.
The Salvation Army’s mission to provide second chances also resonated with Hayleigh Smith, whose four-piece design took home first place.
“I pretty much only thrift, mostly because of where I came from,” said Smith, who grew up in California’s Central Valley. “The community I grew up in had a lot of halfway houses and rehabilitation centers, so being able to see that in the community and be a part of that is great.”
Instead of using more resources like processing, dyeing and shipping new fabric for each new trend, designers can get creative with pre-worn material, Smith said. “I noticed a lot of the donated pieces were skinny jeans, because those are out of style right now,” she explained. “But there’s a way to cut them and actually double the size and make them a wide leg if you have two of the same pair.”
National Thrift Store Day
On Saturday, August 17th, our Santa Monica store hosted an event for National Thrift Shop Day where Santa Monica College showcased creations from The Transformed Treasures collab.
Attendees had the opportunity to meet the designers and learn more about their innovative designs.
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