Archive: Around Town

New Roots Charter School senior Zoë Larsen is reaching out to the Ithaca community for businesses, organizations and individuals to promote a more sustainable fashion culture. Her 'wearable conversation pieces,' designed to educate and inspire, will culminate in an art show and a benefit raffle.

Zoë's senior year capstone project is focused on upcycling fashion. That means making unique fashion pieces from otherwise unused garments, for instance, using sweaters with holes, or leather pieces that have been stained or cut, to make interesting handbags, legwarmers or scarves. Zoë's collection will draw inspiration from donated articles of clothing with various cultural and historical references to the Finger Lakes including: indigenous species, cultural and historical events, local festivals, musicians, and artists. The collection will be presented at a fashion and art show on May 6th at the New Roots Elevator Music and Art Gallery. The raffle will take place one month later during the June First Friday Gallery Night.

Zoë Larson grew up in a household focused on sustainability. Her mother taught her from a very young age that resources are finite and that we have to take care of them if we want to better provide for future generations. Around the age of 10 she fell in love with sewing and design. "I'm fascinated with the construction of garments and ways that things are put together and the ways that I can then push those limits."

Zoë's main goal is to challenge our country's consumer standards. "I really want people to move on from the idea that as soon as something has a stain or a rip, that it's garbage and it's useless." Another goal is to inspire people to learn how to sew and be innovative. "Instead of just putting that old sweater in a box in the back of your closet, give it a new and beautiful life."

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