When students walk through campus, they often show pride for their chosen University — most recognizably in the form of standard collegiate apparel.
Rachel Weeks, the 25-year-old founder of School House, LLC, is bringing her socially responsible   collegiate clothing to the University.
With a greater focus on style and an ethical approach to production, Weeks is launching designs this month in universities across the nation.
The first pieces of the collection have already been delivered to the LSU Bookstore in the Student Union and will also be sold through the bookstore’s web site.
The line available at the University includes a sweater, hooded sweatshirt, T-shirt and T-shirt dress, and more items are expected to arrive as students give input and the collection expands.
While visiting Sri Lanka in 2007, Weeks studied socially responsible clothing design and began creating her company as a model for better payment and working conditions in factories.
“Workers often live in poverty,” Weeks said. “But [School House] pays labor premiums for products. Our factories nearly triple the wages previously paid to employees. This is the first step, but that’s not all.”
Weeks said she hopes customers will appreciate the ethics behind the clothing, but that they will also value the products for their designs.
“Our line is first and foremost not just about living wage, but trying to bring the college apparel market closer to design trends,” she said.
Weeks personally visits the universities where her products will be sold to better understand what students are looking for in collegiate clothing.
“This company is really my baby, and rather than hire sales associates, we hired people at our home office so that I could travel and meet with students,” she said. “We hope that LSU students approve the collection and are able to add their own ideas.”
Weeks said a goal of the company is to pull collegiate fashion back from behind the times and closer to the league of the fashion world.
“There is a balance between customization and high price tags,” Weeks said. “We try to bring fashion elements in while keeping in line with the way students live.”
Weeks said she looks forward to further tailoring designs to the University community.
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Contact Morgan Searles at [email protected]