Trashion Talkin'
Recycled garb at the Junk to Funk Fashion Show
By Megan Udow
Emily Hyde’s “Deconstruction/Reconstruction” dress composed of fencing and safety cones is a definite traffic stopper.
View Slideshow »And the judges are… Representatives of local designer Adam Arnold, Portland Fashion Week, SCRAP, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and the Association of Oregon Recyclers had plenty to say about the “trashion” on display.
View Slideshow »A table cloth, paper clips, and latex gloves inspired Rita Keating’s flapper dress.
View Slideshow »Adrienne Duckrow’s “Rebrewed” Spanish-themed gown was made of coffee filters dyed in blackberries and used grounds.
View Slideshow »Brady Lange’s “Bedtime Bride” was a matrimonial vision of loveliness in a down quilt, blanket, p.j.’s, pillow, and lace.
View Slideshow »Sam Adams and The Mercury’s Marjorie Skinner give it up for the J2F house band.
View Slideshow »Biker chic was never so literal as Lindsey Stern’s bicycle tubes and valves dress took the runway.
View Slideshow »The “Rubber Tube Dress” up close and personal.
View Slideshow »Yes, you can can can wear Tyvek mailers as a dress, but only if it’s an Emily Rogers design.
View Slideshow »Taylor Cass Stevenson’s “Net Consumption” took a page from Carmen Miranda’s bookâor her plastic fruit and onion bags to be exact.
View Slideshow »Alyssa Asteya’s “Gunny Sack Trench Coat” made from burlap coffee bags, sheets, and car seat covers made a bold statement.
View Slideshow »Sarah Lynn Svobodny prepared for a rainy day with “Lady Cumulus” and her gown of electrical wire, netting, plastic bags, and pillow stuffing.
View Slideshow »Save your six pack rings and you too can have a “Seagull Saver” dress courtesy of Aliyah Indra and Jen Dzienis.
View Slideshow »There’s no messing with Brian Leavitt’s “Trashion Assassin” and his stealthy outfit of shoe bags, tarp, and computer and cable wires.
View Slideshow »You’ll be ready for a walk down the aisle or the runway in Rebecca Ross’s “Red, White and Bride” made from sheets, bubble wrap, curtains, and grocery bags.
View Slideshow »Bathed in white, Ruth Waddy’s “Plastic Pride” struck a dramatic pose on the runway.
The fashion scene was in full swing with the return of the annual Junk to Funk Recycled Fashion Show Contest. From tulle to tubing, the fashion police were out in full force making sure every piece was stitched with the environment in mind.
The lighting was dark (to conserve energy, of course) as Mayor Sam Adams and The Portland Mercury’s Marjorie Skinner took the stage in their damaged CD encrusted vests to host the event. And whether anyone actually paid attention to the long-winded, overly punned script, or the recycling lessons presented by the monster of plastic bags past and the paper-plate princess, everyone did a double take at the trash couture. The clothes went from wearable to weird with every runway turn, but a few standout pieces were the flamenco-inspired coffee filter dress, that would have anyone in need of a gown swooning, and the surprisingly wearable (and probably affordable) duvet wedding dress. Even the soda can “Seagull Saver” would make a great cocktail dress for any daring diva.
And while there were plenty of surprisingly sensible outfits, the most fun was had with the outrageous. “Lady Cumulus” fended off the rain with her blue-sky ensemble, and designer Emily Lalonde’s skirt of Crown Royal bags was the definition of party dress. However the winner of the night’s event was Jen Lamastra’s “Chastity Blinds” made from an astonishing mix of mini blinds, bike tubes, trunk locks, and cabinet hardware.
Whether you’re an avid re-user or someone who’s still trying to remember to turn the lights off when they leave a room, Junk to Funk is an entertaining reminder of the Portland mantra, “Reuse, Reduce and Recycle.” So the next time you’re out shopping and you forget your reusable grocery bags at home, you don’t have to feel guilty about answering that annoying “paper or plastic” query because that bag is just a dress waiting to happen.
