Global Green News
James Cameron's Wife Goes Green for Oscars
TONIC. FEBRUARY 15, 2010. By Lauren Le Vine
Suzy Amis Cameron holds the first annual Red Carpet Green Dress Challenge to choose an eco-friendly Oscar dress — and an unknown designer.
There's one strong fashion trend developing at award shows this season, and no, I'm not talking about the large number of celebrities wearing purple (Sandra Bullock at the Golden Globes, Tina Fey at the SAGs) or white (Kate Hudson at, well, everything and Rihanna at the Grammys). This trend is one we can wholeheartedly get behind: the spouses of award nominees wearing eco-friendly fashion on the red carpet.
Livia Firth, who is married to Colin Firth, started the trend when British Vogue challenged the eco-warrior to wear only sustainable fashions on the red carpet as she accompanied her husband to various award shows this season (he's nominated for Best Actor at most major ceremonies for his performance in Tom Ford's A Single Man). Now, Suzy Amis Cameron, whose husband James' film Avatar is smashing box office records and scooping up accolades left and right, is joining the eco-friendly award show fashion trend.
Mrs. Cameron, who is also an actress, launched a competition to find an unknown designer who works with eco-friendly, green fabrics to create her Oscar gown. The contest, called Red Carpet Green Dress, just concluded, and the winner was Jillian Ganz, a senior at Michigan State University, where she majors in apparel and textile design.
In an interview on YouTube, Ganz talks about the future of sustainable design and her excitement over winning the contest: "I would say that sustainable design is becoming quite a trend in the fashion industry. Going to MSU with it being a green school, we're trying to focus on that a lot more in our classes — the fashionable, sustainable design. It's just becoming popular to be eco-friendly, which I think is great ... I just can't wait for the Academy Awards to watch Suzy on the red carpet ... until I see her wearing it on the red carpet, I won't even realize what it means to me ... seeing my design up there ... it just means so much."
In a press release, Cameron talked about choosing Ganz's design as the winner. "Jillian’s design was stunning and had that something special. It's a beautiful combination of sustainability and style. I’m excited to promote the talent of this young designer." Jillian's creation will be brought to life by designer Deb Scott, and Ganz will be flown to Los Angeles to assist with fittings the week of the Oscars. The final garment will be revealed at the Global Green Pre-Oscar party, which Amis Cameron is co-hosting with her husband.
Cameron's efforts don't stop with her Red Carpet Green Dress challenge; however, the contest also served as a fundraiser for MUSE, a non-profit elementary school in California she co-founded with her sister.
