Hudson Valley Sustainable Fashion Week (HVSFW) held its third annual Organic Runway show on Sept. 26 at Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook.
The show featured ten collections by fashion designers located in the Hudson Valley, who are “committed to design methods that align with a sustainable ethos,” according to the HVSFW website.
Each collection used sustainable materials and methods for their pieces, with some using excess materials they had in their studios and others repurposing materials through dyeing, knitting and more.
“I was so blown away. It was so gorgeous, I had no idea this is what it was actually like,” said Sam Swidler ‘26, an attendee.
The show also showcased “The Marist Collective,” made up of alumni of the Marist University Fashion Program. This year’s collective included Hannah Winters ‘25 and Meg Knudson ‘25.
“I think it’s great that the Marist community knows about it. People design it, model, guests and volunteers. It’s great we all get to come,” said Alyssa Ostrowski ‘26.
Through the Marist Fashion Program, Marist students have the opportunity to volunteer for the event through different positions depending on their interests, including village vendor assistants, registration and even modeling.
“It’s a good way to get yourself out there, especially because you’re working with your retailing skills and you’re marketing products,” said Seilah Quinones ‘27, who volunteered at HVSFW as a vendor village assistant. “I found it an amazing opportunity because I can both work in fashion and work for a sustainable cause.”
HVSFW also takes part in other events around the Hudson Valley, including Field + Supply Market in Kingston, clothing swaps and mending workshops. Their mission is to bring awareness to the harsh impact the fashion industry has on the environment and to amplify designers who use ethical practices in their designs.
“It was amazing to see everything on the runway, and to see everything come to life,” said Quinones. “Working and talking to people is just something that I love, and it’s something I definitely want to do in the future.”
