LOS ANGELES—UCLA graduate student Bonnie Kim's vision finally came into reality at the first "Freedom and Fashion" event on Thursday, Nov. 19, at UCLA. The event used a fashion show to raise awareness about modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
Last year, Kim visited Bangkok with a program called NightLight that works to help get women out of prostitution. At one of the strip bars, she saw a woman her age performing. They locked eyes and, feeling the connection, Kim started crying. After that, she was inspired to start a fashion show that would educate people about sex trafficking.
Kim had always been interested in fashion, but when she was younger, she was drawn to teaching. She felt that her life was a blessing. "I live in West LA. I drive a car. I have food to eat," she said. She wanted to give back, inspired by her religious faith to "love others."
Adam Edgerly is the pastor at New Song LA in Culver City, the church Kim attends. Seeing this event happen was like "watching someone give birth," he said. He feels that social justice is a core part of Christian teachings, noting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as an example, and he feels it has been lost.
In UCLA's Ackerman Ballroom, it came to life with a fashion show of fair trade clothing including six brands on the runway and 16 exhibitors in total.
There were pajamas made in India via the International Princess Project, designer women's clothing from Stewart+Brown, stylish Shanghai street shoes from The People's Shoes, handbags made from license plates by Tag Bags, embroidered pillows from Raven + Lily, fair trade coffee by True Bean, and stuffed toys with a cause called Kauzebots.
The show opened with a performance by Mr. J. Medeiros who had performed alongside the likes of Run DMC. He sang a song called "Constance," which also had been featured on CBS evening news, about a girl named Constance from the Philippines who was forced into prostitution.
Medeiros composed the song to reveal how people don't think about where the pornography they see comes from. He felt that when you "create a standard for yourself," you have to live up to it; otherwise, you would "feel shame." He thought that if other high-profile performers had children, their songs might also have more of a conscience.
For Rebecca Barlow, one of the models at the show, having a child moved her to help other people's children who don't have a voice. She would often go to skid row in Los Angeles to feed the homeless.
In the ballroom, the designers had their booths as well.
Raven + Lily is a nonprofit studio that works with women in developing countries. It provides the women with designs at the co-ops for things like home décor and jewelry. The materials are also locally sourced so they are eco-friendly. The company would like to get into apparel, but “apparel is a tricky industry,” because of the changing fashions, co-founder Sophia Lin said.
Meeshee Scherrei, owner of Tag Bags, said she went to South Africa "begrudgingly." There, she saw backpacks made out of license plates and inner tubes—and a business was born, creating handbags while helping the people in Kayamandi, South Africa.
When Anton Brandt was in Shanghai, he noticed the construction workers wearing a cool striped sneaker. He tracked down the manufacturer, and before you know it, he had started his own shoe line called The People's Shoe. The shoes were even worn by a band member featured in Rolling Stone.
Kim said at the end of the show, "If we did all this and saved only one person, would it be worth it?" The audience applauded in agreement. Yet, it seems that Freedom and Fashion may have saved many more.
SOURCE:Fashion and Freedom Unite in Los Angeles
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