Support the SFS x MCM Project

If you had the pleasure of attending the International Fair at SFS last April, I’m sure you recall the red table adorned with tattered “90% SALE” posters. Encompassed by cardboard boxes filled to the brim with luxury leather bags and opulent wallets, anyone merely interested in fashion would have taken a glimpse. Or if you were in the Middle School or British School in 2021, I’m sure the memories of painting on thousand-dollar handbags for your art class project still excites you to this day. If these recollections spark a memory or smile, then you're no stranger to the enchanting world of the SFS x MCM Upcycling Project.

Started in 2021 by the club A Call To Society (ACTS), the SFS x MCM upcycling project is dedicated for SFS students to contribute in the upcycling of defective products from the luxury brand MCM using their own creativity; At its core, the project serves as a canvas for students to breathe new life into MCM's imperfect creations, representing a harmonious blend of creativity and philanthropy. While ACTS encourages you to be a part of their next project, let’s take a closer look into the birth of the MCM x ACTS project and what goals it has achieved.

When explaining the SFS x MCM upcycling project, we have to first start with ACTS: the high school club behind the whole operation. To gain a better understanding of ACTS’ system and objective, I sat down with Co-Vice President Daniel Yoo who shared his insights on the club, culminated by years of experience.

Daniel laid the foundation of the club through their mission statement: “A Call To Society (ACTS) aims to elucidate and provide awareness through various forms of media, alongside participating in direct acts of service based on this awareness, that pertain to prevalent issues and events in local communities.”. Essentially, the club is focused on raising awareness and funds for local communities with multicultural families, and has been for its 4 year history. MCM, on the other hand, is a “renowned German luxury brand that has been at the forefront of high-end fashion for the past 40 years”, having an ever growing presence in the Asian market such as in China and South Korea as a Korean company called “Sung Joo Foundation” recently purchased the company in 2005. Ever since, they have recently started to turn their focus to developing environmentally-beneficial programs concerning their defective products, which is where the SFS x MCM project comes in.

ACTS originally came into contact with MCM when former ACTS President Joohun Kim reached out to the company with a project proposal: “We knew MCM had defective products that they were willing to provide if the project was right, and so we reached out and was lucky enough for them to agree to the project. From there, we made an agreement with them to send 40% of the profits to their MCM charity organization, Sung Joo Foundation, and 60% to a charity of our choice”. Essentially, the idea of the project was “to upcycle these defective MCM products using the students' creativity and art, and later sell these luxury goods at a discounted price back to the SFS community”. Daniel explained that in total, the club was able to raise approximately $10,000 in funds for the Sung Joo Foundation and the Bright Future Multicultural Childcare Center (a charity organization located in South Korea), and has ever since continued to help tutor children at this childcare center during the weekends.

In the previous year, ACTS hosted a condensed version of the original SFS x MCM upcycling project during the International fair, which caught the attention of our SFS community. The project involved selling MCM’s defective products at a bargain price after students had the opportunity to develop new designs and customizations on the products. By integrating a world of luxury and student creativity, the project introduced a modern take on sustainability advocacy. As a result, the project was a huge success, raising a total of $7,000; Respective to their service-oriented mission, ACTS donated all profits to a Multicultural Child Care Center and a Woman’s Rights Charity Organization both located in South Korea. When asked about his favorite memory from the project, Daniel described eating dinner with all the other executives and his emotions overcoming him: “My favorite part of the project was working with all the other executives, and I remember having 고기 for dinner all together, and I couldn’t stop crying. It was a really proud moment for me and I hope that this year we can achieve something even better.”

As we reflect on the journey of the SFS x MCM project, the success achieved thus far serves as a reminder that each and every one of us in the SFS community can be a catalyst for positive change, regardless of how big or small our contributions may seem. If you painted on a bag in the Middle School, you were able to supply a child with the proper educational materials needed. If you stopped by the ACTS table last year during the International Fair, you were able to bring attention to an issue that many people choose to ignore. Together, we can create even more positive change and inspire others to make a difference. So the next time you see a red table, with tattered “SALE” posters and a couple cardboard boxes, pop a visit and see what change you can make.