Brand New 2 U
By Aimee Walsh
A GROUP of fashion-forward students from Coláiste Bríde in Clondalkin held a sustainable fashion show last week, and they won bronze in the Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards.
The Transition Year students set up a young social innovators project, called Brand New 2 U, and the fashion show was part of a more extensive campaign being run by the students.
Students from Colaiste Bride won bronze at the Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards
The campaign focuses on how shopping second-hand doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality – and it can also help with the current climate crisis.
The clothing for the fashion show was supplied by National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), while the students styled, upcycled and modelled the clothes for the event.
The fashion show took place in the school on May 13 and was livestreamed on Coláiste Bríde’s website and social media pages.
Fiona Mallen, Transition Year programme coordinator in Coláiste Bríde, said: “The students have really spearheaded this entire campaign, from securing funding from Young Social Enterprise to running this fashion show.
“Their dedication to spreading sustainable practices in the fashion industry with their fellow students both locally and nationally has been humbling, and we hope it can be a legacy that next year’s Transition Year students can continue with.”
Colaiste Bride students Samira, Mia and Goodness at the Fashion Show
Beverley Scallan, NCBI head of retail, said: “Think global, act local is something we at NCBI retail live by, so when Brand New 2 U approached us to be involved in this project, we were delighted to team up with them.
“In 2021 it is important to include classes on sustainability and the circular economy in the school curriculum.
“The students and their teachers’ drive to fill this gap and spread the word with schools throughout the country is something we are proud to be a part of.”
The Brand New 2 U project won the Bronze Award in the Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards in the ‘Make Our World More Sustainable’ challenge on May 13, and the students said they are “so excited for the future of our project”.
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