On Friday, December 13, 2024, CU Boulder’s ATLAS Creative Technology & Design master’s students debuted their fashion show, “2%”, a cutting-edge exploration of eco-conscious and sustainable fashion. However, the heart of the story lies not just in the final product but in the journey of its creators: a multidisciplinary team that brought innovation and collaboration to the forefront.
The project originated as part of an ATLAS course designed to simulate real-world professional experiences by emphasizing client relations, budgeting and project scoping. Unlike traditional courses, the professor and peers had a hands-on approach, embracing collaboration.
What began as an idea for a UFO database soon pivoted to something more captivating when creative technologist Phu Le proposed creating a fashion show. This suggestion sparked a wave of ambitious thinking as the team explored “what-ifs”: What if it was a live show? What if technology could amplify the message of sustainability in fashion?
Recognizing their expertise leaned more toward technology than fashion, the team sought collaborators in the Boulder area to help bring their vision to life. “Fast fashion and the textile production industry are producing alarmingly negative environmental impacts,” the creators noted, highlighting their project's mission statement.
Creative director Ellie Lindsey played a pivotal role in expanding the project’s scope. Lindsey reached out to Liv Gewanter, the creative director of ROAM magazine, Boulder’s lifestyle and fashion publication. Through ROAM’s connections, the team gained access to sustainable designers, models and volunteers, turning their vision into reality.
“2% is more than fashion—it’s a statement, a community and a call to rethink what we wear and why we wear it,” said the creators, encapsulating the ethos of the project.
This collaborative spirit defined 2% from start to finish. By integrating a variety of expertise from creative technologists, designers and local artists, The project transformed into a platform where diverse disciplines congregated to tell a story with a compelling message.
The final show blended cutting-edge technology with artistic expression, featuring a VR experience that amplified the event’s multidisciplinary experience. Their work is described as “An interactive experience that combines project design and technical execution,” by the ATLAS institute. Behind this project is a team of talented visionaries whose creativity and expertise brought the vision to life.
THE CREATORS BEHIND 2%
Creative Director – Ellie Lindsey
Ellie Lindsey recently earned a BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in photography and is pursuing a master’s in Creative Technology and Design at the University of Colorado Boulder’s ATLAS Institute. With expertise in branding, event coordination, and digital project direction, Ellie directed the entire 2% project, from visual branding to coordinating the event’s logistics. Through this experience, she discovered her passion for creative direction and the power of collaborative execution.
Project Manager – Jacob Rodgers
Jacob Rodgers is a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and a graduate student at the ATLAS Institute. Leveraging his expertise in strategic planning and leadership, Jacob took charge of direction, spatial design, event flow and stage production for 2%. His background in 3D rendering and coordination brought the event to life. Jacob thrives on working with passionate teams and exploring creative collaborations.
Creative Technologist – Phu Le
Phu Le is a technologist specializing in immersive installations, live video art, and AR/VR simulations. Transitioning from mechanical engineering to ATLAS, Phu found inspiration in blending art and technology to create meaningful, collaborative projects. For 2%, he designed the website and contributed to all aspects of the project, showcasing his multidisciplinary approach through a business-oriented entrepreneurial spirit.
Full-Stack Developer – Renooh Sivakumar
With a foundation in computer science and startup experience, Renooh combines her technical expertise with a passion for inclusive design and sustainability. At ATLAS, she bridges the gap between design, technology and social responsibility. For 2%, Renooh explored creative roles outside her programming background, expanding her skill set and vision for future management opportunities.
AR Designer – Yuchen Zhang
Yuchen Zhang specializes in AR design, wearable technology, and XR experiences. She developed 2%’s augmented reality feature, enabling virtual try-ons via QR codes. A graduate of BE Industrial Design, Yuchen is passionate about integrating technology into everyday life, transforming user expectations into tangible, innovative solutions.
From the initial concept to the final execution, every detail was carefully crafted to push boundaries and engage audiences in new ways. As the creators shared, this wouldn't have been possible without the community’s support. The creators acted as the storytellers, setting the stage and making sure everything came together smoothly. Meanwhile, the Boulder-based designers took the role of characters, bringing fresh ideas, bold creativity and self-expression through fashion.
DESIGNERS
Mirela Alistar & Eldy Lázaro
Assistant Professor at the ATLAS Institute, Mirela Alistar, and PHD candidate Eldy Lázaro worked alongside one another by collaborating with LatinX children and their Spanish-speaking parents to create designs that showcase how playfulness can bridge language barriers. Inspired by bio-based living matter, the pieces incorporate materials like acrylic wool, gelatin-based threads, and Alganyl, a bioplastic derived from marine algae. The collection includes earrings, a bag and a top, celebrating the notion of life cycles as all elements were once alive.
Alganyl, in particular, stands out for its dual nature of durability and sustainability. It behaves like vinyl but fully degrades in soil within a month. The mission is to make sustainable materials like Alganyl accessible for replication in everyday settings, encouraging a sustainable mindset through innovative yet practical design.
Mia DiNorcia
A senior at CU Boulder and Roam Creative Director, Mia DiNorcia draws inspiration from Victorian-era maximalism and 1920s gothic horror. Using materials like secondhand curtains, tablecloths and repurposed trim, DiNorcia crafts garments that embrace intricate detailing and opposing concepts.
“I often picture a silhouette I want to implement, which serves as the foundation for my designs,” DiNorcia explains. Her collection reflects influences like Hellraiser, Moncler’s Spiderman puffer, and Visual Kei fashion, blending opulent textures with sharp, edgy elements. One standout piece, a black button-down, channels Victorian maximalism, while her red spider skirt and black tank capture the sharpness and power associated with dominance. DiNorcia’s work portrays the attraction of opposites, exploring unity in contradiction and the complex emotions inherent in human existence.
Timothy Hutama
Timothy Hutama’s designs are a bold fusion of Renaissance kiki ball culture, the Sagittarius zodiac sign, and Beyoncé’s Virgo’s Groove. Using upcycled denim and holographic vinyl, Hutama creates garments that embody the spirit of armor and resilience. Their innovative approach combines the practicality of sustainable materials with the flair of high-fashion aesthetics, resulting in a collection that feels both avant-garde and stylish.
Medicine Mender
Sarah Fitzpatrick, an Environmental Product Design student at CU Boulder, channels their passion for zero-waste living and nature into their designs under the label Medicine Mender. Their collection repurposes responsibly sourced materials, such as damaged denim, discarded curtains and scrap fabric, to 'rebirth' them into designs that communicate a powerful message.
One standout piece, a plant-inspired face covering, represents the sovereignty of nature and its quiet yet powerful presence in our lives. Another design, the “We Are Nature” skirt and top, is crafted from a bedsheet and shirt salvaged from CU’s Green Stampede zero-waste initiative. Fitzpatrick’s work invites viewers to reflect on their lifestyles and consider the urgent need to care for species beyond our own through powerful messages within their art.
Cole Metcalf
A CU Boulder alumnus and multimedia designer, Cole Metcalf focuses on sustainability and reclamation in his work. His designs incorporate thrifted denim, bottle tabs, leather and paracords to celebrate imperfections like cellulite and stretch marks. Metcalf’s patchwork techniques result in visually striking pieces that challenge traditional beauty norms.
By sourcing materials from Goodwill bins and other responsible avenues, Metcalf’s creations highlight the beauty in reused and reimagined resources. His approach not only minimizes waste but also brings depth to his storytelling through fashion.
Aisy Nix
Aisy Nix’s collection centers on pollution and waste revival, with a focus on transforming single-use plastics into wearable art. Using materials like food wrappers, packaging, parking tickets and receipts, Nix created quilted garments that make a powerful statement about plastic consumption.
One standout piece, the Reviving Waste Jacket, is a water-resistant puffer made entirely from plastic waste collected within the college community. Through her work, Nix sheds light on the staggering amount of single-use plastic waste generated monthly by one person in the U.S., urging society to rethink its relationship with plastic.
Olivia O’Neill
Olivia O’Neill’s designs explore the art of reclamation through visible mending and patchwork. Using reclaimed denim, she crafted two jackets with distinct aesthetics. One jacket retains recognizable elements of jeans, showcasing their original forms on the front and back. The second jacket embraces patchwork, blending scraps from various sources to reduce waste.
O’Neill’s objective is clear: to redefine waste as an opportunity for creativity, breathing new life into discarded materials while showcasing the beauty of imperfection.
Nell Tercek
Fashion designer Nell Tercek specializes in knitwear apparel and conceptual design. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and Politecnico di Milano, Tercek’s collection Second Skin celebrates the natural diversity of human bodies, embracing features like stretch marks, scars and cellulite as symbols of strength.
Crafted from scrap leather, recycled materials and yarn donated by Italian manufacturers, Second Skin pushes the boundaries of sustainable fashion. Born out of the challenges of completing her thesis during the pandemic, the collection reflects Tercek’s ability to adapt and innovate, transforming limitations into opportunities for creative growth.
Emily Zhou:
Junior at CU Boulder, Double Major in Environmental Design and Art, Double Minor in Business and Creative Technology & Design.
With a background in clothing construction and fashion, Emily brings hands-on experience to her work, crafting costumes for CU’s theater and dance program as part of the campus costume shop. Her latest piece was originally inspired by last spring’s Roam Revelation show, which she revisited and refined to align with the theme of sustainable design.
Sourcing all her materials from discarded or waste-bound items, Emily integrated old jewelry as hardware to add depth and texture. Through her work, she aims to showcase high-quality craftsmanship using sustainable materials, merging different mediums to push the boundaries of traditional fashion. Her piece stands as a testament to the beauty found in repurposed materials, demonstrating that sustainability and innovation can coexist seamlessly in design.
ShirpShiro:
Shirp, a visionary designer and graduate of Drexel University with a B.S. in Fashion Design and a focus on textile engineering, has emerged as a pioneer in the eco-conscious fashion industry. Choosing veganism at an early age, Shirp’s unwavering passion for sustainability and humanitarianism has nourished her art, combining these values in symbiotic ways.
Over two years, Shirp has meticulously developed the ShirpShiro collection. Using their knowledge in textile engineering, they began experimenting with biodegradable materials such as mycelium, kombucha leather, and algae-based bioplastics in her home lab, combining science with art. Referred to as an alchemist, Shirp offers a unique opportunity in fashion by providing realistic alternatives through the fabrication of meaningful materials.
From the moment attendees entered the space, they were put into a liminal, futuristic environment that balanced artistry and functionality. The event space provided by CMCI acted as a canvas, completely transformed by the 2% team and its volunteers to highlight the talent and vision of every designer, technologist and collaborator involved. Each piece told a story, showcasing the unique perspectives and skills of its creator, while the cohesion of the event, orchestrated by creators, brought everything together into a seamless multidisciplinary masterpiece.
It was a testament to what can be achieved when diverse minds come together to push boundaries, challenge norms, and reimagine the future. The boldness of the designs, the ingenuity of the technology, and the passion of everyone involved made 2% a remarkable experience, leaving lasting impressions and setting new standards for the future of sustainability, fashion, technology and the many ways they intertwine.
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