University of Wisconsin–Madison

Italy: Pyper Scullen (Learning on Excursions)

A person in an alleyway with an archway near the end dressed in a sleeveless pink dress.
My professor pictured modeling one of Atelier Biologico’s handmade pieces that is actually named after her – the Enrica dress!

This semester I am taking Sustainable Clothing and Ethical Fashion at SRISA where we discuss how to create and consume products from the fashion industry in a way that is better for the planet as well as humans and animals. One of our first field trips for this class involved a trip to a Florence based sustainable fashion brand located within a women in art center. The center is called Female Arts Florence and hosts shops for various eco-conscious female artists around Florence. We went specifically to see the work of a mother and daughter pair, owners of Atelier Biologico, who hand knit and use a vintage needling machine to create knitwear out of certified sustainable materials including hemp (which uses far less water, grows faster, and requires less pesticides to produce than standard cotton), organic silk or cotton (requires a process that is slower, uses less pesticides, and is less harmful to the earth or silk worms compared to standard practice), and other naturally dyed fabrics. Many of the pieces are made to order or made in small batches in order to eliminate the opportunity for wasted products. This field trip was incredibly well timed as we were discussing different fibers and the effect that fiber choice can have on the sustainability grade of a garment. It was an incredibly cool experience to see consciously made, beautiful pieces and be able to meet the women behind them and see their passion for their product – it definitely further inspired my dream of creating something similar.

Pyper wears a white shirt and smiles in front of a dark green background.

Pyper Scullen 

Hometown: Elm Grove, Wisconsin

Major: Fashion and Textiles; Cert. in Entrepreneurship

Program: Santa Reparata International School of Art

I am extremely excited about the course offerings via this program and the technique and skill that I will gain from taking classes including patternmaking and fashion illustration. I am also excited to learn about Italian history and culture as I believe that history and the world offers incredible inspiration for design. Lastly, this program offers the opportunity to attend Milan Fashion Week which is an amazingly unique opportunity for insight into the interworking’s of the fashion industry – an industry that I am working to have an important place in and impact on.