The newly approved Xavier Fashion Club looks to give old pieces new life

by emma stevens, staff writeR

Xavier’s Fashion Club kicked off their clothing drive last Monday and will continue through this Friday, January 29. Drop off stations are in the lobby of the Health United Building and in the Fenwick Atrium. 

The clothing drive is being used to amass material for the Fashion Club members to use in order to sustainably create pieces for a future event: the XUFC Fashion Show. 

This fashion show, set to take place later in the semester, will be a charity event in which the fashion pieces created by club members will be for sale. 

All the money raised will be donated to an organization that has yet to be determined. XUFC President, Sophia Grimes, stated that XUFC has been looking into organizations that support clothing sustainability to be the beneficiary of this charity event. 

 The XUFC is accepting any clothing, even if in poor condition, during this drive. Grimes stated, “(The club) will donate it to Goodwill or recycle it depending on the condition.”  Therefore, donors can be assured that their donations will be used to benefit the community and the environment. 

Sustainability and environmental impacts of the fashion industry are both issues that are important to XUFC and their members. Specifically concerning the role of sustainability in the clothing drive, Grimes stated, “XUFC collaborated with Xavier Student Sustainability club for this clothing drive to ensure that we accomplish this. Fabric is something we will work with a lot, and reusing/recycling secondhand fabric means reducing the fashion industry’s footprint.”

 With the return to campus, many clubs are trying to kick off the semester with a bang, and the fashion club is no different. Their clothing drive and the accompanying fashion show are some of the first undertakings of the XUFC this semester and also as an official club. They received their official status during last semester after meeting as an unofficial club since the beginning of the school year.  

During the fall semester, XUFC held meetings and shaped their activities to cater to the interests of their 36 new members. Grimes said, “Fashion Club is really based on listening to what our members want to learn and what interests them.” Grimes noted that tie-dying was popular last semester. 

Bringing your own talents and tastes to the table is highly encouraged, so if there is anything fashion related that students would like to learn or try, XUFC meets on (). 

The XUFC’s mission, according to Grimes, is to use “self-expression, creativity and sustainability to bring collaborative students together to nurture inclusivity and thoughtfulness on Xavier’s campus.” 

For those interested in joining, XUFC in on EngageXU and their past projects can be seen on their Instagram @xufashionclub. However, if fashion is not your thing, your donations would still be greatly appreciated by XUFC. 

Stay on the lookout for the upcoming XUFC Fashion Show this spring!