NEW YORK, Feb 4, 2006/ FW/ --- Created with 800 tea bags, the ‘tea dress’ especially created for National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)’s ‘Red Dress Collection’ was not shown on the runway yesterday, but it made fashion headlines a week before.

Designed by Brett Cooper, the tea dress is actually an ensemble of a red carpet worthy gown, shoes, handbag and hat in stunning shades of red and made with actual tea bags (in their wrappers) and boxes.

Considered wearable art, the outfit was commissioned by Celestial Seasonings, the Colorado-based natural tea company known for its more than 90 varieties of teas that is packaged with beautiful imagery and inspiring thoughts.

In addition to presenting the dress to NHLBI, Celestial Seasonings also gave a check for $100,000 to WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, the nation’s only patient advocacy organization serving the 8,000,000 American women living with heart disease.