Student organization Hemline @LSU designed from the heart to raise awareness for women’s heart disease, crafting dresses solely from red paper hearts for a competition Saturday.
Students submitted 13 dress sketches for the Hemline for Hearts competition. The American Heart Association, which sponsored the event, selected six to be designed.
Participants had four hours to build their designs in front of Macy’s at the Mall of Louisiana. The dresses had to be made of 90 percent red paper hearts and 10 percent miscellaneous materials, such as accessories and fishing wire.
All six dresses will display at the Mall of Louisiana for one week.
The event encouraged creativity and educated people on the dangers of heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of women. Passersby in the mall could get involved in the event by writing their names on paper hearts used in building the dresses.
Faculty advisers for Hemline @LSU Delisia Matthews and Casey Stannard said it was a great opportunity for members to display their creativity for a philanthropic cause.
“It’s a way that our students can showcase their talents, but at the same time also give back to the community,” Matthews said. “It’s like bridging the gap between the Baton Rouge community and our campus at LSU.”
Textile merchandising senior Nimia Cabrera was one member whose design was selected for construction.
She said the most challenging part of the competition was the time required by the project.
“You think you have enough time, and then you get towards the end … and you feel like, okay, this is not enough time,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera said it felt good to get together as women to bring awareness to a disease that kills one in three women each year.
Vicki Brooks, a six-year AHA volunteer and judge for the competition, said it was important the competition was visible to the public so people could get facts about the disease.
“It’s very exciting that the students at LSU and the fashion merchandising [students] get on board with this to promote our cause and help people understand the drastic effect that it has on women,” Brooks said.
The event also advertised at the Go Red for Women luncheon held in Baton Rouge in February, which includes a fashion show and testimonies from those affected by heart disease.
This is the second year Hemline @LSU partnered with the AHA for the competition, sponsored by Macy’s and The Lemoine Company.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Emily Brauner

LSU fashion merchandising students participated in Hemline's dress building compettion in order to raise awareness and educate the public on heart disease on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015 at the Mall of Louisiana.