Sustainable But Make It Slay
Eco Fashion Show 2026
From the moment the first design hit the runway, it was clear the night would be full of style and surprises.
This year’s student-designed looks infused personal details that elevated fashion in service of a sustainable future. Designer Caitlin Crowe '28 collected flowers from around campus to create natural dyes for her entry “Flower Power,” transforming second-hand clothes with soft, layered color. Several models sported designs featuring detailed patchwork, with pieces of denim, ties, and other discarded clothing reimagined in new and stunning displays of artistic reuse. EcoFashion Show Fan Favorite Anna Truong '26 was crowned Best in Show for her standout trio "37th Denim St", with a final look that stopped the show by transforming jeans sourced from Bucky’s Closet into an elegant full gown.
🧵 From Limited Reuse to Real Wearability
As the Center for Sustainability celebrates its 20th anniversary, we’re reflecting on how simple ideas to help the planet have grown into campus traditions that reshape how we show up for our common home. EcoFashion Show began in 2011, created by student Michelle Tang '13 as a fun way to bring attention to waste and reuse. Students were encouraged to put together outfits from recyclables and other discarded materials. But, like Cinderella’s gown after the ball, those creative but impractical outfits turned back into waste at the end of the night, and were recycled or discarded.
Today, EcoFashion Show designers are challenged to create pieces that last beyond the runway to be worn again as wardrobe staples. Designs must use repurposed clothing items or use materials that would otherwise go to the landfill. This year’s event showcased sustainability grounded in real behavior change with a glittering example of consumption with conscience. As the show began, tUrn representative Lauren Rossi ‘20 shared how the clothing industry emits an estimated 3.3 billion tons of CO2 each year, more than all international flights and cargo shipping combined.
Approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are dumped annually into landfills, where 60% of new clothing ends up within a year of production after being worn an average of only 7–10 times. And the fast fashion industry’s low prices are often fueled by labor abuses, particularly exploitative to women and girls.
But Lauren reminded the audience that, “fashion itself is not the problem. How we enjoy fashion is the question. Fashion can be artistic, ethical, and restorative.” Thoughtful purchases that prioritize timeless, well-crafted pieces can turn what we wear into an act of care. By blending creative expression with social responsibility, EcoFashion Show modeled the power of mindful consumption through upcycling and ethical sourcing.
🪡 Stitching Together Sustainable Partnerships
The Center for Sustainability fostered collaboration to deepen the event’s impact and pump up the glam. Community partner Goodwill of Silicon Valley sponsored the show, reinforcing that sustainable fashion continues beyond therunway through accessible, secondhand options. The de Saisset Museum provided a unique space that elevated fashion to an art. Bucky’s Closet, SCU’s free thrift store, supplied many of the designers with source clothing, while student-run radio KSCU and student band Solace supplied the soundtrack that raised the energy during this glamour-filled night.
✨ Runway Wrap-Up
Held on Earth Day, EcoFashion Show 2026 challenged designers to examine how fashion can answer the Laudato Si’ call to care for our common home. Designer Dylan Masamitsu’s “The Stag,” drew inspiration from the extinct Shromburgk's deer combined with a modern adaptation of an Edwardian-area adventurer, taking home the Imaginative Award. Each design weaved together storytelling and sustainability, for a celebration rooted in ecological responsibility, ethical decision-making, and community well-being.
EcoFashion Show has grown more popular as the circular economy takes hold on campus. This year’s event packed the house with a record 185 members of the SCU community, including 51 student designers, models, and volunteers. Many of the designers were sourced from donations to campus thrift store Bucky’s Closet. From fashion to action, we can reduce waste, build partnerships, and celebrate student creativity that inspires change.
As the EcoFashion Show continues to evolve, we are committed to deepening the focus on lasting design and expanding the partnerships that make the show possible. Broncos are invited to get involved in future maker night workshops, to participate in future shows, and to donate and shop for free Bucky’s Closet. Together, let’s design the future of SustainableSCU.
2026 EcoFashion Show Results
💃High End Fashion Award "Tie Dance" | Designed by: Anna Truong '26 | Modeled by: Sierra Nathu '27, Michael Allen '26, and Tram Lieng
👚Versatility Award "Flower Power" | Designed by: Caitlin Crowe '28 | Modeled by: Teresa Lara '29
✨Imaginative Award "The Stag" | Designed by: Dylan Masamitsu '28 | Modeled by: Tobin Deaker '28
🪭Fan Favorite Award "37th Denim St" | Designed by: Anna Truong '26 | Modeled by: Caley Dever '26, Sean Tsang '26, and Nathan Luong '27
🏆Best in Show "37th Denim St" | Designed by: Anna Truong '26 | Modeled by: Caley Dever '26, Sean Tsang '26, and Nathan Luong '27
2026 Judges
Sean Collins, Associate Vice President, University Operations
Trish Dorsey, Vice President of Community Engagement, Goodwill of Silicon Valley
Becca Nelson, Sustainable Food Systems Program Manager, Center for Sustainability
Emma McCarthy '27, Costume Shop Assistant, tUrn Representative
Natasha Garcia '28, Creative Director, KSCU
Take Action!
- Slow down: Choose "slow fashion" over fleeting trends. Before you buy, ask if you’ll still wear that item five years from now.
- Choose Second-Hand: The Center for Sustainability offers a free, donation-based thrift store right here on campus. Come shop or donate at Bucky’s Closet in Daly Science 317, Monday through Thursday, 11:00 am to 3:30 pm.
- Upcycle: Get creative with what you already own. As the EcoFashion Show demonstrates, well-loved clothing can be transformed into a unique wearable art.