photo: Jaycob Desrosiers
The vogue word for Portland fashion in 2007 is sustainability. We have witnessed an exponential growth spurt of eco-friendly and “green” fashions. Green may just well be the new black. Portland is the top ranking recycling city in America and with a statistic like that to its moniker it continues to live up to its name fashionably, or with a “trashion” show. Saturday evening was the second annual Junk to Funk recycled fashion show at the Wonder Ballroom. An invitation was sent out to artists, fashion designers and other creative types to create pieces of wearable (and sometimes questionable) fashions from the garbage can or found objects. The event was produced in collaboration with ORLO - non-profit environmental organization and hosted by the affable city commissioner/mayoral hopeful Sam Adams.
photo: Jaycob Desrosiers
photo: Jaycob Desrosiers
Approximately 30 looks were presented ranging from sheer fantasy to inspiring trips to Home Depot, or your neighbor’s rubbish bin. The names of the designs were just as whimsical as the garments themselves. “Short Circuit” by Collen Miezejeski was a bustier and netted overlay made of fiberglass window screening worn atop shimmering copper leggings. Taylor Stevenson paid homage to 1940’s swimwear with a retro one-piece swimsuit constructed of used innertubes. Very tight and very waterproof. The “re-tired swimwear” was completed by a clear plastic bag of six pack soda pop rings embellished with a black dove from more intertubing. A couture gown was shown reminiscent of postmodern Marie Antoinette. The gown, appropriately called “Synthetic Rain Angel,” was created by Cara Miller and the flaming orange and snow white materials came from plastic bags and a shower curtain. La piece de resistance was “Alatta Gelato, Allata Trash” by Emily Hyde. The entire array was constructed of pastel gelato sampling spoons and cups from the Thierry Muegler looking bustier to the Karl Lagerfeld looking fan to the geisha parasol.
photo: Jaycob Desrosiers
The fashion show was frolicsome and pure mad cap amusement. To me, trash was simply that… anything worthless, useless, or discarded. In a moment of fashion epiphany, I came to think perhaps there’s a bit of truth in the adage about one man’s junk being another’s treasure.
–Ashkan
WHAT TO DO NOW?