Marymount University and IKEA Woodbridge celebrated the opening of their joint fashion exhibition, Upcycle Collaboration, last Friday. The exhibition highlighted creativity and sustainability in the fashion industry.
The new lobby exhibit consists of 10 innovative and wearable garments handmade by current and former Marymount Fashion Design students using IKEA textiles such as bedsheets, pillowcases and curtains recovered from the store’s as-is department.
“We are so thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with IKEA Woodbridge on an in-store exhibition,” Associate Professor of Fashion Design Julia Ravindran said at the opening reception. “We are always looking for new, different ways to bring sustainability into our program and this was just the perfect opportunity.”
At the start of the Fall 2024 semester, Ravindran assigned the project to sophomore and junior students to learn how to create “truly sustainable fashion.” Students then visited the Woodbridge warehouse to meet the IKEA team and understand the retailer’s global sustainability efforts. There, they raced to select fabrics “Project Runway style” from the as-is department to give new life to old floor models and unsold merchandise.
Over the next two months, students designed and crafted garments from their chosen materials, striving to create interesting and wearable pieces. Sophomore Bria Fisher used cushions, a pillowcase and a bright pattern duvet to create a cocktail dress called “Yellow Daisies.”
“The ‘Yellow Daisies’ pencil dress is a modern spin on the 1970s sheath dress, designed for the everyday woman with a bold style,” Fisher explained. “The blue and yellow hues in the fabric echo IKEA’s iconic brand colors, making the dress a tribute to the company’s legacy of creativity and innovation.”
Similarly, junior Marco Rivas used a tablecloth, curtain and pillowcase to create a modern streetwear look.
“I drew inspiration from the concept of sustainability and the natural harmony of earth tones and tried to embrace the challenge of reimagining everyday household textiles as wearable art,” Rivas said. “The design celebrates simplicity, functionality and resourcefulness, aligning with my love for earth tones and IKEA’s commitment to sustainable living.”
Current Marymount students weren’t the only ones hard at work. Fashion Design alumna Jennifer Gause ‘05, a visual merchandiser at IKEA Woodbridge, learned about the project from a coworker and jumped at the opportunity to participate in the exhibit.
“I have wanted to design something new for a long time and this was the perfect opportunity,” Gause said. “Being a mother of seven, I don’t have much time for myself. So I wanted to do something that would feed me creatively.”
Gause used an old IKEA duvet from her home to create a summery, off-the-shoulder dress.
“I wanted to make something that my daughter can wear when the exhibit is over, something truly sustainable that she can use for years.”
The exhibit will remain displayed at the IKEA Woodbridge store through the holiday season, officially closing on January 3, 2025. IKEA Woodbridge events manager Wendy Rogers expects additional collaborations with Marymount.
“This is just the beginning of our partnership,” she explained. “We’d love to have this exhibit be an annual event we co-host with Marymount’s fashion program. We’re also open to expanding into interior design, perhaps having students create showroom layouts to get practical experience. We’re excited to see the partnership expand and see what other collaborations are possible.”
