The Uniform Project is complete!
May 19th 2010 21:24
One year. One dress. One hundred thousand dollars! (Well, very nearly). In the twelve months that New Yorker Sheena Matheiken spent wearing the same black dress, she's managed to raise US$94,786 for disadvantaged children in her home country of India... and there's still donations trickling in! It just goes to show how a little bit of ingenuity and creativity really can change the world, and you can have a lot of fun doing it as well.
Sheena's inspiration for the project came about when she took a six-month break from her job as a creative director, and found herself wanting to do something of real value to the world. "The idea sparked when I took a 6 month sabbatical from my full time job in order to decompress, travel and generally focus on some personal projects," Matheiken told change.org last year.
"Aside from giving myself this creative challenge, I also wanted it to be something of consequence and also something that people could engage and participate in. That's how the idea of making this a fundraiser came about. I always wanted to do something towards education for lesser privileged children, and I had to look no further than the motherland to see the gaping need for it," she said.
Another key motivation for Matheiken's project was her desire to promote sustainable fashion; in particular, the idea that just because it's good for the planet, doesn't mean that it has to be daggy! "Fashion is such a visual and subjective medium, so there is that intrinsic draw," said Sheena. "The project is an attempt to freshen up the fashion and sustainability dialogue, and I think people are excited to see that style and sustainability needn't be mutually exclusive."
Sheena has expressed her gratitude to everyone who donated to the project, and as a result of her supporters' generosity, she's been able to get 263 kids in school through The Akanksha Foundation. And from the looks of Sheena's website, there could be more Uniform Projects taking place in the future!
As for the dress itself? You'll be able to buy your own version very soon - the project's managers are currently looking for the right organic fabric and a manufacturer who aligns with the project's sustainable-fashion philosophy, and once they've done that, they'll be emailing everyone who has expressed an interest in the dress (add your name to the email list here). And of course, in keeping with the trend of this wonderful project, all proceeds from the sale of the dresses will be going to charity.
Some of my favourite outfits from the Uniform Project.
Sheena's inspiration for the project came about when she took a six-month break from her job as a creative director, and found herself wanting to do something of real value to the world. "The idea sparked when I took a 6 month sabbatical from my full time job in order to decompress, travel and generally focus on some personal projects," Matheiken told change.org last year.
"Aside from giving myself this creative challenge, I also wanted it to be something of consequence and also something that people could engage and participate in. That's how the idea of making this a fundraiser came about. I always wanted to do something towards education for lesser privileged children, and I had to look no further than the motherland to see the gaping need for it," she said.
Another key motivation for Matheiken's project was her desire to promote sustainable fashion; in particular, the idea that just because it's good for the planet, doesn't mean that it has to be daggy! "Fashion is such a visual and subjective medium, so there is that intrinsic draw," said Sheena. "The project is an attempt to freshen up the fashion and sustainability dialogue, and I think people are excited to see that style and sustainability needn't be mutually exclusive."
Funky, unique, modern eco chic: the fabulous looks of the highly inspirational Sheena Matheiken.
Sheena has expressed her gratitude to everyone who donated to the project, and as a result of her supporters' generosity, she's been able to get 263 kids in school through The Akanksha Foundation. And from the looks of Sheena's website, there could be more Uniform Projects taking place in the future!
As for the dress itself? You'll be able to buy your own version very soon - the project's managers are currently looking for the right organic fabric and a manufacturer who aligns with the project's sustainable-fashion philosophy, and once they've done that, they'll be emailing everyone who has expressed an interest in the dress (add your name to the email list here). And of course, in keeping with the trend of this wonderful project, all proceeds from the sale of the dresses will be going to charity.
One small dress.... one big change for the better.
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