At first glance, these leggings don't look too terribly different than your average leggings, except maybe for the eye-catching pattern. And that's exactly their secret. The "designs" on the leggings above are actually images of (from left to right) healthy lungs, the rabies virus and muscle cells. Yep, seriously.
The creator of the clothing line is 24-year-old aspiring doctor, Lizzie Cochran, who told
CNET's Crave, "The inspiration for Epidemia came from studying microscopic images in my biology lab course, as well as coming across similar images in an article I read about the history of epidemics. I kept noticing how beautiful the images were."
And she went on to create some of the coolest leggings we've ever seen. The best part is that the clothing is not only fashionable, it has an even bigger purpose that goes way beyond looking cute at the gym.
"I think that there is still a belief among young girls that the sciences are men's fields and, with Epidemia Designs, I hope to play a part in changing that perception," she explained to the
Huffington Post in an email. "We hope that our designs will serve as conversation starters and, through interesting, appealing patterns, further the idea that science is for girls, too."
The legging line, which is being funded by a
Kickstarter campaign, is just the tip of the iceberg. The company also makes journals and cell phone cases, which backers who met the minimum funding thresholds will be receiving.
Pictured below, clockwise from top left:
the Ebola virus, healthy heart, mitochondria, and another Ebola virus.
In addition to creating stylish stuff for a great cause, the company will also be donating 15% of their profits 'to fund research and projects aimed at reducing the incidence of preventable disease and expanding access to high quality medical care all over the world.'
To learn more about Epidemia Designs, check out their
website.