Three students from FIT’s Fashion Design class of 2020—Nidhi Bhasin, Zhuo Ran (Jenny) Feng, and Melissa Posner—have reimagined the Girl Scouts of the USA uniform. On August 25, that uniform and apparel collection—consisting of 18 new interchangeable pieces for girls in grades 6–12—officially launched, with all items available for presale at girlscoutshop.com/gsstyle.
The new apparel collection honors the classic Girl Scout look while also incorporating modern, fashionable elements to ensure that every girl can express her unique style. By offering a variety of options—such as cotton-blend and crewneck T-shirts, full-zip hoodie sweatshirts, drawstring joggers, pocketed spandex leggings, cargo pants, a soft knit skater dress, and a light-washed denim jacket—girls can proudly showcase their personalities while also sporting the iconic Girl Scout trefoil. Caregivers, alums, volunteers, and advocates of girls everywhere can also support the organization by wearing the official apparel, with sizes available up to 3XL. Prices range from $10 to $49.
The redesigned official uniform includes a new khaki utility vest ($34) and pocket sash ($14) The vest has a cinched waist and epaulet shoulder while also featuring two functional front pockets. The sash, in four-way stretch woven twill, also has built-in hidden cellphone pockets for easy storage. Girl Scouts can now incorporate the new uniforms and apparel into their daily wardrobes, whether they’re going to school, exploring the outdoors, selling cookies, or attending a troop meeting or more formal occasion.
Girl Scouts has a long history of collaborating with fashion designers, including Mainbocher in the 1950s, Halston in the 1970s, Bill Blass in the 1980s, and Diane von Furstenberg earlier this year, just to name a few. Through this new collaboration between FIT and GS, the uniforms were redesigned—for the first time in over two decades—to better reflect the young female changemakers of today and tomorrow. The two organizations are embracing girls’ desires to express their individuality through fashion by offering options that can be worn while participating in Girl Scout activities or styled as everyday wear.
The student designers were selected by leadership from the FIT DTech Lab, an entity within the college’s Innovation Center, with whom the students worked in close collaboration throughout the process. Designs were completed through 3D virtual prototyping and an apparel design software platform, ensuring minimal waste, and eliminating the need for physical sampling. During the early stages of the project, Girl Scouts and FIT conducted focus groups with current Girl Scouts to tap into the inspirational brains of modern girls and gain insight into what they hoped to see reflected in the new designs. Using that research—which underscored the importance of individuality, inclusivity, functionality, and comfort—FIT professors worked closely with the students on their sketches, material selections, and overall collection. The student designers also took current fashion trends into account while creating an assortment to appeal to a range of Girl Scouts and their diverse style preferences.
FIT’s Bhasin, who is also a Girl Scout alum from New Jersey, referenced her troop experiences and overall learning from Girl Scout programming while collaborating on the designs.
“Girl Scouts really helped strengthen my self-confidence and encouraged me to pursue my interests,” expressed Nidhi. “With this collection, our shared goal was to not only design trendy attire but also make sure that girls would feel inspired, proud, and powerful while wearing each piece. Today’s Girl Scouts are the next generation of leaders, so we needed to make sure they dress the part so they can continue to take on the world!”
“FIT was honored to be chosen for this extraordinary opportunity,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT. “The college shares with the Girl Scouts a commitment to helping launch the female leaders of tomorrow, and the students who developed this new look for the Girl Scouts truly embody FIT’s entrepreneurial spirit and hands-on approach to career education. Now, with a newly redesigned official uniform and apparel collection, young Girl Scouts can go out and take on the world with a refreshed sense of style.”
“We’re so thrilled to partner with the Fashion Institute of Technology on the new uniform and official apparel designs,” shared GSUSA CEO Judith Batty. “For over a century, Girl Scouts have proudly worn distinctive uniforms that reflect the high ideals the organization stands for. As our girls grow and evolve, so does our organization, and that includes the way Girl Scouts present themselves to the world. Girls want to look and feel their best when they’re making change in their local communities and representing Girl Scouts, and this new collection allows them to stay in step with today’s fashion trends as they work to make the world a better place.”
Consumers can save 10% on any of these items at girlscoutshop.com/gsstyle. now through September 8, 2020, with promotion code 10GSSTYLE.