, Zero 2017 Co-Chairs: Naomi Spinak and Michelle White Emcee: Rebecca Rockefeller Judges: Dawn Weber, Alaina Capoeman, Michael B. Maine and Leatrice Eiseman Tech: Reed Price, Deb Rudnick, and Marcy Lagerloef Volunteers: Diane Landry, Elizabeth Cromwell, Annie Fanberg, Barb Zimmer, Dawn Snider, Marcy Lagerloef, Marci Burkel, Jane Martin, Wendy the model wrangler Photographers: Espen Swanson and John Williams Home Goods Artists: Jeannette Franks, Sandra Leese, Alchemy, Jillian Darnell-Bourke, Bayla Rosenkotz, Kitt Laws Sculptors: Steve Parmelee and Diane Haddon Film and filmmaker -Beach Plasticsby Liesl Clark Sponsors - IslandWood, Bainbridge Island Zero Waste, Bainbridge Disposal, Patti Shannon and Diane Sugden of Windermere Real Estate, Port Madison Enterprises, Sash Mercantile In-kind sponsors - Alchemy Goods, Zero Waste Washington Bainbridge Arts and Crafts display of winning fashions
Upcycled Trashion/ Pret-a-Porter
1st Place Just Keep Swimming Designer - Naomi Spinak Model - Shannon Dowling This outfit is inspired by about 20 pairs of old denim jeans that could not be repaired because the holes were in embarrassing places. Naomi’s family members and her local Buy Nothing Bainbridge group donated many of the jeans. Now they have a new life as a new pair of jeans. Shannon is wearing an assymetrical tunic constructed from drapery scraps and accented with embellishments from swimsuits from the Bainbridge Island Masters team—stretch polyester spandex swim suit material is not only non-recyclable but starts to break down the moment it hits that chlorinated water. Naomi noticed that as a swimmer she is constantly creating worn out swimsuits and wondered what other life they could have. Finally, Shannon’s outfit is completed with a Grounds for Change coffee bag clutch, accented again with swim suits. Shannon is wearing her own shoes.
2nd Place Designer - Sue Van Duine Model - Deanna Wilkes-Gibbs Sue Van Duine and Mary Ann Tollefson have collaborated this year with two very different fashions using Boro patchwork techniques. Sue’s Boro, Boro, Boro is fashioned after the original look of Boro when it first emerged in the 17th and 18th century in Japan as part of the practicality aesthetic of that time which was embraced by artisans, merchants and the working class…… “Use everything, Waste nothing”. Boro means “rags” or “scraps of cloth” and even the tiniest scrap was saved and reused as a patch on clothing or quilts. For this project, Sue cut up parts of about 8-10 pair of blue jeans she’d been saving, and some resale finds to include 3 men’s shirts, pajama pants, a woman’s skirt and shirt, and many scraps of reused fabrics. All were tea dyed first, to give them an old and worn look. Sue took on the challenge of using every part of the blue jeans she could so there would be very little waste. See if you can spot some of the ways parts were used to accomplish this as Deanna models the Kimono jacket, pants, and hat Sue has created. Original Boro designs were created using squares and rectangles. Sue did the same…..and exercised a bit of creative license as well. If you look closely at the stitching on the patches you will see many different patterns. Sue incorporated many original Boro stitching patterns and created many new ones. Cotton and hemp fibers were used in original Boro stitching. Sue used cotton string and tea dyed it to look old. The stitching is called “Sashiko” and it is as important to the Boro aesthetic as the patchwork. These stitching techniques were used to make the patches stronger and the garments warmer. Deanna’s hat was created with leftover scraps pieced and sewn together . Sue saw the hat in a piece of Japanese art from the 17th century and copied the design. Next, Mary Ann Tollefson will show how design aesthetics from long ago like Boro, can inspire fashion today. “Boro” that is sophisticated, smart, and reused.
3rd Place London Fog Designer and Model - Susan Skalek This coat started with the deconstruction of a wool raincoat from the 1980s. It was recut into a princess line bodice with a 1/2 circle skirt. To accommodate the fuller skirt, fabric from men’s suit pants. Piping was used to highlight the princess lines in the bodice. The coat was embellished using ribbon; hand stitching the ribbon in a random manner over the cuffs and collar and pockets. The closures use handmade buttons, and cording. The back uses a ribbon highlight at the waist. The skirt is a repurposed velvet skirt that has been modified using pleats. The top is a linen shirt that has been recut and restyled.
Student Prize Brisemoule Designer - Lyra Cromwell Model - Riley Fanberg Brisemoule is a take on several traditional Disney princess dresses. It is made of old curtains and bathrobes, cut and recombined to form a more elaborate garment from stained trash. Its name, Brisemoule is a slurring of the French briser moule, or ‘breaking mould’. It symbolizes a breaking of the mould of traditional fairytale princesses, who rise from low status and never look back. It serves as a reminder of how everything new and extravagant is built atop a previous innovation, often destroying its precursor in the process.
Here Comes the Sun Designer - Michelle White Model - Mirit Spinak The jean jacket in this ensemble was made from actual jeans. Michelle deconstructed two pairs of her teenager’s old jeans, using the waistband for the waist of the jacket. She turned panels inside out for a contrast. The back of the jacket was embellished with scraps of fabric, sewn on for a burst of color. The dress was made from a Men’s western shirt. She took the cuffs from the shirt, and turned them into the peplum for a rockabilly flair. And finally the hat started out as strips of two t-shirts, that were finger crocheted together. The feathers were made from pages of an old torn book of fairy tales.
Upcycled Denim Swing jacket with Coordinating Cotton Knit Short Skirt Designer and Model - Maryanne Tollefson For Mary Ann, the most fun in creating an outfit for the Trashion Fashion Event is a self-imposed challenge to design something actually wearable from used clothing. She likes the engineering aspect of figuring out how to use as much of the original garments as possible, including leftovers such as jean belt loops and t-shirt neck bindings. Many of these garments would otherwise have been tossed out, and therefore major disposal problems. In her outfit today she has worked with a tie-dyed jean jacket that had been in her closet since the 1980s, two pairs of very worn men’s jeans, and two cotton men’s T-shirts – one from 1999 and the other from 2001. She opened up the jean jacket to lengthen it and give a looser feel. She also incorporated many of the parts removed from the jeans, such as waistbands, pockets, and belt loops to add structure and decoration. The coordinating cotton knit skirt was made by simply combining pieces from each t-shirt, sometimes in double layers. By pure chance, she found these two appropriate colors in her very old stack of salvaged shirts. She plans on getting much more use out of the pieces in this outfit now that she has spent fun time and effort into making them ‘new’ and wearable again.
etro Afghan Rainbow Vest and Skirt with Pussy Hat Designer and Model - Holly (Jim) Holly is modeling his own outfit – a retro afghan rainbow skirt & vest with pussy hat. This project began with a granny square afghan, a few crocheted & knitted oddments, and a decorative gold cord, all thrift store finds. Add the cord to the afghan and voila – a skirt! Holly then consulted old afghan patterns to crochet a vest which incorporates the thrift store pieces and complements the skirt. The back panels which flow down into tails are made from 2 thrift store strips plus 1 knitted by Holly. The vest has several floral-themed squares, including the rose pockets – one from a thrift store & the other crocheted to match. It is edged with crocheted rainbow chevrons and has a shell pattern collar with black picot trim. Paisley-themed pieces accent the shoulders & back, and a lace chain stitch connects it all together. Topping off the outfit is a pussy hat knitted by Holly for the Women’s March. A forearm accent was created from thrift store doilies attached with recycled elastic. The accent as well as the vest and hat are embellished with reused metal pins, which reveal some of Holly’s interests & causes, past & present. This is the most ambitious & creative needlework project that Holly has attempted, and the challenge has been uplifting. Thank you!
Tie Dress Designer - Bryn Lashmet Model - Her daughter, Emily This Tie-riffic children’s dress was inspired by a messy closet, two wonderful daughters, and need of a creative outlet. Bryn really admires those who can creatively up-cycle clothing and furniture. She dabbles in re-inventing found objects within her home. Much to her families’ chagrin. Inspired by her daughter, Lily, she decided to try out her artsy will in fashion design. Her willing model, Emily Lashmet, ready to take it for a spin. This piece materialized from a messy closet where Bryn discovered 3 plastic ziploc bags of men’s dress ties. These were perfect for an up-cycle project. Re-inventing her Father-in-laws ties from the 1960’s and 70’s felt like a positive way to honor his past professional years. And what better way to do it than to make a dress for his grand-daughter. Creating this dress has been a challenge with many learning moments and a pleasure.
Lacy Leisure Suit with Matching Hat Designer and Model - Whoretense (Dennis) Whoretense models his own festive outfit with both hand built and embellished second hand components. Shoes, pants, and jacket are thrift shop finds. The white jean pants are jazzed up with a hand made pair of chaps made from lace curtains and embellished with decorative lace tape found at a garage sale. The vest is entirely hand made using a serger machine from an old tablecloth that was cut to take advantage of its already decorative edge. The jacket with brocade lapel is a junk shop find that Whoretense up-cycled using Mexican white lace curtain panels that he again takes advantage of their own beautifully scalloped edges. Finally, the hat was hand made using white plastic “buckram” mesh molded onto a home-made foam core form with a heat gun, and decorated with a used lace ribbon and bow. Used eyewear and a hand-made lace tie complete this one of a kind look. Whoretense does not knit, crochet, tat, or weave. He can hand sew, but not very well. This is his first project using a sewing machine. Thank-you!
Kashmir and Dots Designer - Susan Skalek Model - Melissa McCulloch This coat was made from a worn men’s cashmere jacket. There was wear on the bottom of the jacket and on the sleeves. The jacket was cut apart and sewn back together in a princess line adding to the coat were materials that I had in my studio, which included more wool on the side panels. Once recut, the sleeves had to be lengthened using the same fabric as the side panels. The coat lining was able to be reused as it was. The bias trim came from leftovers from another sewing project. The velvet-covered buttons were made from a recycled dress. The back appliqué was made using scraps from cutting the jacket, and embroidered onto the jacket using embroidery thread. The skirt was made from men’s recycled pants and some leftover checked silk. The applique on the skirt was made from leftover wool and recycled buttons, and new beads and sewn on with embroidery thread. The shirt is an upcycled t-shirt cut and resewn.
Trashion Couture
1st Place Wonderland Dress Designer and Model - Lilly Lashmet This Wonderland dress is made from a variety of materials including toilet paper rolls and playing cards. This wonderland inspired dress represents all of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland with a twist of creative style. It is one of a kind, incorporating all reused materials and new ideas. Alice’s skirt is made with a chicken wire base, toilet paper rolls and an umbrella fabric apron. The top represents the Queen of Hearts with two partial decks of playing cards. The Mad Hatter top hat with its Chesire cat ears are made from found materials in the artist’s home. They embody the frantic and chaotic fun Alice experienced in Wonderland. The White Rabbit’s pocket watch necklace adds the finishing touch of this curious ensemble. This dress was inspired by popular vote of the artist’s closest friends. The magic and wonder of Alice’s adventures represented by this piece continue to inspire the imagination of people of all ages.
2nd Place Lympha Designer and Model - Sofia Campagna This paper dress was designed and is worn by Sofia Campagna, who is a 6th grade student of West Sound Academy and a resident of Bainbridge Island. At WSA she studies Marine Biology focusing on the ecosystem of the Puget Sound. She named her dress “Lympha” who was the ancient Roman deity of water. The raw materials she used were newspaper, cardboard, twine, packing tape, duct tape, and paper grocery bags. The cardboard skirt is based on a Victorian Crinoline Cage dress, which provides the support for the cascading strings of ripped newspaper that mimic a waterfall. The habitat of the Puget Sound that Sofia studied, such as eelgrass beds, were the inspiration for her accessories.
3rd Place The Bride Designer and Model - McKayla SewNsew Practicing the rhythm and routine in each stitch and every loop, she is a testament to our survival and our persistence in the face of opposition. A reminder that we have the ability to stand our ground effective in our process to bring into fruition that which we dream. She is created lovingly with layers of plastic wrap, paper, sheets, bubble wrap, plastic straps, and hours of intention.
Bubble Wrap Couture Designer - Therese Kunzi-Clark Model - Sarah Albee Bubble wrap has always been an interesting package material. Part utility, part entertainment, and part nuisance. Because it takes special steps to bring it to a place that reuses it, it tends to sit in her car, ever present, reminding me that there is one more thing that I forgot to do. Having a big box around of it at work inspired her to use it as a material for the project. So Therese decided to make Bubble Wrap Couture.She also had a basket full of tape that she has been collecting over the years. Some of it is yard sale finds, and others are tape that was left behind at classes that she taught. Some of the stuff Therese used has just been hanging around the house. For the bubble wrap she wants to thank her neighbors at Cohousing, and Barbara and Susan at the Traveler.
Rain Check Designer - Naomi Spinak Model - Jacob Spinak Last summer Naomi read a blog by Liesl Clark—Pioneering the Simple Life—suggesting what to do with a patio umbrella that had been broken in a wind storm. Well it just so happened Naomi owned such an umbrella and so she removed the Sunbrella fabric and used the skeleton of the umbrella as a trellis for peas in the garden. But then she still had this lovely outdoor fabric—Voila—cargo pants. And with an abundance of popped bike tubes from her family and the local bike shop, a tough cycling vest was born. The vest is reversible and lined with well loved bathing suits. It is finished with Grounds for Change coffee bags and the remnants of old sweaters form the cycling shirt to wear underneath. Jacob’s helmet is covered in more umbrella fabric and upcycled denim studded with reflective-painted bottle caps for a head protected from the weather and easily viewable in the dark.
The Flower Girl Designer - McKayla SewNsew Emerging with the pale colors of spring… the bubble wrap ‘pops’ with the early bloom of petals. Inspired by cherry blossoms, this dress embraces the textures of materials while invoking the playfulness of a new season. This dress was created with paper, bubble wrap in various colors, plastic wrap, and the mesh from produce bags.
The Maid of Honor Designer and Model - McKayla SewNsew Inspired by the ebb and flow of the moon in her cycles, this dress- fit for a maiden was created with bubble wrap, paper, aluminum, sheets, plastic wrap, and the mesh from produce bags. She is here to remind us all to find solace in our creative selves as we explore the tangible materials that surround us in our day to day lives.
Plastic bags, Tutu and Tank Designer and Model - Jessica Jessica made this outfit all by herself, using various types of plastic and constructing them in layers to create a tutu. Bubble wrap is layered beneath the strips of plastic, which have lots of fun movement to them. Her shirt is made from a grocery bag and old newspapers. Exploring different opacities and how materials interact with each other are what makes this outfit special.
Packing Peanut Peplum Designers - Collaboration of Boys and Girls Club members Model - Harper Flynn Made in collaboration between half a dozen kids at Boys and Girls Club, Harper is wearing a skirt made entirely from various different packing materials – crushed pink packing peanuts and plastic bags. An interest in texture and fun colors drove the aesthetic direction of this outfit. The flowy trash bag top gives contrast to the geometric shape of the skirt. Straps are made from more packing materials, and the drawstring on the trash bag. Details like the star and arm cuffs were made from recycled art projects from the club.
