A pivotal international incident is the backdrop for this workshop in The Workshop. On April 24, 2013, a clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed and killed more than 1,100 people and injured 2,500.

The Rana Plaza collapse is considered the deadliest garment factory disaster in history. The tragedy unleashed criminal charges, street protests and debate about corporate social responsibility across global supply chains. 

Also in the wake of Rana Plaza, the nonprofit organization Fashion Revolution formed. It advocates reform of the fashion industry and the need for accountability and transparency in the fashion supply chain. It is best known for its #Who Made My Clothes campaigns with its trending hashtag on Twitter/X. 

Fashion Revolution began celebrating Fashion Revolution Day on April 24, 2014 and has since gone onto to advocate for slow fashion–buying vintage or secondhand clothing, repairing damaged items and remaking garments to make them last longer. 

Two VCU student organizations embody the spirit and approach of Fashion Revolution.

• Eco-Fashion promotes sustainable fashion and teaches students ways to be sustainable with their clothes and bring awareness on how their clothes have an impact on the environment and people laboring around the world.
• Vintage Threads encourages exploration, discussion and appreciation of fashion from the 2000s and before. The organization examines historical and cultural contexts influencing vintage fashion, from race and gender to sustainability. 

These two student-led groups along with The Workshop at James Branch Cabell Library and the VCU School of the Arts Department of Fashion Design + Merchandising are in partnership to host this slow fashion event on the anniversary of the Rena Plaza disaster. 

At the immersive workshop, club officers will advocate the importance of slow fashion and teach students how to mend and upcycle clothes.  

• Madison Lothamer, an Eco Fashion officer and Fashion Revolution ambassador, will speak about the impact of Rana Plaza and Fashion Revolution. The presentation will also discuss current events in the fashion industry and offer advice for how students can make a change on an individual level. 
• There will be stations for various activities, such as denim repair, button repair, zipper repair, hole repair, embellishing, patching, etc. 
• Mending kits and snacks will be available.

Register for this workshop