Denver fashion designers sew fabrics into face masks

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Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

Mar 31, 2020, 10:02 ET

LAKEWOOD, Colo., March 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fashion Design students, faculty and staff at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) are embracing their new e-classrooms by sewing their fabrics into face masks.

Stitch by stitch, these artists are networking regularly in their virtual environment with peers, professors and friends over at Athena Project for "Fashion in Action," a collaborative partnership between RMCAD and the non-profit to create and distribute face masks for those who need it most during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chair of Fashion Design, Nicole Bartet says hosting these sewing circles are a way to stay connected while giving back to the community, "there are two goals in place, building community and helping the community. We, as artists all know that what we do is therapeutic. Knowing that, we were inspired to build our fashion family and do more for our medical professionals on the front lines."

As of today, Fashion in Action is helping senior care centers, home healthcare workers, police departments, homeless shelters, OBGYN workers and high-risk individuals in need. Bartet says she hopes her students gain a sense of pride for their philanthropy.

These face masks are meant to serve as a last resort if hospitals and other essential areas of work have run out of medical-grade masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that face masks are sanitized every four to six hours. Bartet says the plan is to make bundles of 10 to allow multiple mask changes throughout someone's work shift.

The transition from on-ground to blended learning has been a challenge for most places, but overall smooth for RMCAD students and faculty. Bartet credits her faculty for keeping their students accommodated during this temporary time, "they [professors] have gone above and beyond to navigate the transition with our students. Additionally, online instructors, such as Dr. Darlene C. Ritz, have volunteered to mentor ground instructors who aren't as familiar with the modality. It truly is teamwork at its best and I am so incredibly proud of the fashion team and the students."

These sewing circles are open to the public for those who want to help, create and be social. You can learn more about Fashion in Action by visiting Athena Project.

Members of the media, please contact Daron Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of Marketing at [email protected].

SOURCE Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design