Olivia Rubens

The aim of the Material Transition Project with the Toronto Metropolitan University was to work with fashion alumni to develop a sustainable strategy to celebrate our athletics community legacy while sensitively and responsible disposing of Ryerson/Rams branded gear. The objective was to create an activation that demonstrates one of the University’s 2030 Core  Values to be champions of sustainability. The idea behind the project was to honour the planet, our community, and the Ryerson/Rams legacy and future by repurposing, upcycling and recycling their gear. The event, a runway, will honour the 10th year legacy of the Rams and the future success of TMU Bold while shining a light on environmental sustainability. Varsity and club team student-athletes, who have been paired with the designers as a collaboration, will model the gear on the runway, inviting the community and alumni to bid on select runway items with all proceeds going towards a TMU Equity and Inclusion Award.

Olivia Rubens was paired with TMU power lifter Michelle Lenartowicz, from whom she took inspiration for her look and concept. A few aspects of power lifting resonated with the designer. One was our ability as human beings to push beyond what we even think we are capable of, a similar feeling Rubens experiences in her cycling, running and hiking challenges. This speaks to resilience, but also that any body is an athlete, and we must not be so quick to judge a body and its capabilities for we can be surprised by what’s underneath. Various body types in lifting and the inclusivity was a point of inspiration for shapes, as well as what is key in any athletic endeavour, or even occupational, is form and movement: the art of which perfecting is what sets apart the champions from the hobbyists.

Compression equipment is often used by lifters in practice and competition, and there is a dichotomy between those who use equipment, and “raw” powerlifters. The compression equipment used, the sheer force and weight athletes put their bodies under when lifting, and the compressed bodies underneath were similarly represented in object and waste compression sculptures and photography.