Fashion designers have long been recognized for their ability to weave narratives through their creations. In a groundbreaking initiative, design students from Parsons School of Design have teamed up with leading HIV scientists to use fashion as a medium to reshape perceptions and tackle the stigma surrounding HIV. This collaboration is showcased in Hulu’s special, “HIV Unwrapped.”
“We’re merging the intricate world of science with the creative realm of fashion, two fields that typically don’t intersect, yet they surprisingly complement each other,” explained Karl Schmid, the executive producer of “HIV Unwrapped” and co-founder of +Life Media, in an interview with On The Red Carpet.
Having previously introduced “HIV Unwrapped” in countries such as Australia, England, and Rwanda, Schmid expressed his enthusiasm about bringing this compelling narrative to New York City.
“This project exemplifies the power of collaboration. It showcases how dialogue between seemingly disparate fields can lead to extraordinary outcomes. This is a critical message—not just in the fight against HIV stigma, which is my focus, but also as a broader societal lesson. In a time where division is rampant, it’s inspiring to see how opposites can unite to create something beautiful. It’s a message of hope and innovation,” Schmid emphasized.
The special offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion show, detailing the creative process of garment creation, the synergy between designers and scientists, and the significance of telling such an impactful story.
The special will take viewers behind the scenes of the fashion show to see how the garments were made, how the collaborations between designers and science experts worked and to hear about the importance of telling a story like this.
“Fashion is a portal to creating ideas and telling a unique story. You wear something because you want to feel a certain way, tell a story about yourself. I’m excited to see what the designers and the HIV researchers come up with together because science is beautiful and I’d love to see it expressed. And if fashion can be a portal to reminding people of the importance of ending HIV, then we’ll take it,” said Shreya Jani, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Gilead Sciences.
“I think that it’s important to share and highlight the stories of individuals that are living with HIV because we are not all the same. We don’t exist in a monolith and we all have different experiences and I just want to show the world that regardless of what happens to you, we are more than the worst thing that has happened to us and that we can do incredible and be beautiful regardless of our HIV status,” said Bianca Ordoñez, who took part in the event.
“HIV Unwrapped” streams November 30 on Hulu and airs December 1 on the ABC Owned Television Stations’ Localish Network.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.
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