Oh snap! Someone's already done it. The St. Vincent de Paul Society challenged fashion design students from SFSU and FIDM to do just that and the results are really incredible. Take that Santino! IN YOUR FACE.

The students' work is inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement and, not so coincidentally perhaps, there's an upcoming international arts & crafts exhibit at the de Young.

Students were required to use donated clothing obtained from the Society's Vincentian Help Desk - a free service located in the Tenderloin that provides a fresh change of clothes and a dignified environment for the poor and homeless. The students then reconstructed the materials into fashion and art pieces inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 1800's. At least 50% of each creation is comprised of recycled, donated clothing from the Vincentian Help Desk.

The results - "Discarded to Divine" -of the designers de- and re-constructions are so spectacular and the deYoung Museum is hosting an exhibit of them on Friday, March 31st from 6-8:45pm. Check it out! We wish we had that kind of talent.

And of course none of this is happening just because people were bored during the reunion episode (though we sure were). The garments and accessories you see at the de Young will be auctioned off on April 6th in a silent auction and fashion show. There's space limited here, so please RSVP early and bring your cash. They suggest a $20 donation at the door but obviously you will give them much, much more and hopefully win the auction for the cape over on the right, our current fave. We wish we could promise you a walk off!

More pictures and descriptions after the jump!