A Calgary bridal salon has donated a number of silk and satin gowns from its sample rack to students at Alberta College of Art who are enrolled in the school’s wearable art program.
ACAD’s On Your Sleeve: Wearable Art course is new this semester and Cameo & Cufflinks is giving 33, designer wedding gowns to students in the program.
Jessalyn Thomson is the Owner of Cameo & Cufflinks and says the dresses are worth about $100,000.
“These are gowns that I would say are once loved, so gowns that are no longer in fashion but have beautiful fabrics, bead work, that it would be a shame to put elsewhere other than for students to use their fabrics,” she said.
Thomson says she was given similar opportunities as a student and wanted to pay it forward.
“It’s really great to work with ACAD as a local organization and to be able to know that students are going to be able to have the chance to do something,” she said. “As a student, I always remember feeling thankful for the businesses that were being able to assist me so it’s kind of my way of being able to pay it forward to the next generation of students now that I’m a business owner.”
The students will transform the dresses to reflect their personal style and their creations will be revealed at an exhibition at the end of the winter semester.
