Fashion That's Making a Difference

How can fashion help refugees?

▮　文章關鍵字

初級

中級

How can fashion help refugees? Fashion design student Angela Luna found a way. She started a company that makes special jackets. These jackets turn into tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, and flotation devices. They are designed to protect refugees from harsh weather.
Luna calls her fashion company ADIFF. The name expresses her wish to make ADIFFerence in the lives of refugees and other populations in need. Luna's products aim to "provide shelter, safety, comfort, security, and other things to people on the go." All of Luna's jackets are one size and designed to fit both men and women.
Luna's first product, funded on Kickstarter, was the Reflective Reversible Jacket. Luna realized that reflective clothing - which makes people visible in the dark - could save lives. But she also realized that sometimes it's important not to be seen. In response, she created the Reflective Reversible Jacket. When you wear it one way, the reflective side shows. When you wear it the other way, the non-reflective side shows.
Although Luna's products were inspired by refugees, they are designed to protect anyone from the elements. ADIFF's waterproof gear can be used for hiking, camping, biking, or even walking around the city. For every jacket bought, one is donated to a refugee.
Luna's success is growing. She has already received the 2016 Womenswear Designer of the Year award. "I remain steadfast in the belief that fashion or any other industry can become a movement for change," says Luna. "All it takes is a new approach to an old problem."

高級

When Angela Luna was a senior at Parsons School of Design in New York, she began reading about the many refugees who were suffering hundreds of miles away.  Feeling helpless, she was determined to take action. Luna decided to use her fashion skills to assist the refugees. Armed with creativity and passion to make a change, she designed a line of fashionably functional products. She called her humanitarian fashion start-up ADIFF, which expresses her desire to make ADIFFerence in the lives of refugees and other populations in need.
ADIFF designs versatile products to equip people for various weather conditions and environments. "While researching the refugee crisis," explains Luna, "I noticed numerous daily issues faced by refugees that could be addressed through design." In response, Luna created a series of garments aimed at providing shelter, safety, comfort, and security to people on the go. This includes jackets that transform into tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, and flotation devices. All of Luna's jackets are one size and gender neutral, making distribution to populations in need quick and easy.
Luna's flagship product, which has already been funded on Kickstarter, is the Reflective Reversible Jacket.  Luna saw how reflective clothing could save lives by making people visible in the dark. She also saw the need for just the opposite - to keep people from standing out. That was the impetus for the Reflective Reversible Jacket. Its tagline reads: "Reflective on one side, camouflaging green on the other: choose when you want to be seen."
Although Luna's products were inspired by refugees, they are designed to fit the needs of anyone looking for good quality waterproof gear for hiking, camping, biking, or even strolling in the city. For every jacket bought, one is donated to a refugee.
The future looks promising for Luna and her fashion start-up, ADIFF. Luna was the recipient of the 2016 Womenswear Designer of the Year award. And her socially conscious designs have won global recognition. "I remain steadfast in the belief that fashion or any other industry can become a movement for change," says Luna. "All it takes is a new approach to an old problem."