One man’s trash is another man’s treasure — or for dozens of local artists, a fashion show.
The sixth annual Untrashed Recycled Rubbish Fashion Show gives artists and community members the chance to show off the outfits they created from trash and recycled materials over the past weeks.
The fashion show is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. as part of the fifth annual Grand Avenue Festival. There will also be a second annual Trashy Hat Promenade, with both shows happening outside, using Grand Avenue as their runway.
“It’s always a highlight of the festival,” said Beatrice Moore, president of the Grand Avenue Merchant’s Association, which hosts the annual festival.
This year’s fashion show also marks the return of two-time host and local artist Babs A’delic, who did not host last year.
The fashion show has no restrictions on submissions, allowing anyone in the community to create a design.
“I really like first timer shows,” A’delic said. “Some people go through their whole life not making things and wanting to and never getting to, and then they get the chance. This is that kind of show, where we don’t have professional fashion designers or professional artists.”
Local arts nonprofit The Bergamot Institute has managed the event the last two years.
The institute is an all-volunteer organization that aims to bring people in the downtown Phoenix community together to create art through after school programs, art sessions in local parks and art therapy groups.
The fashion show was a great fit, said Shannon Youso, president and CEO of the institute.
“We’re all about supporting the local arts scene, especially when it comes to creating things out of recycled materials,” Youso said. “While we have so many great orgs and galleries that are all about showcasing it we’re all about bringing people together to create it.”
The institute introduced a workshop program for artists to have a place besides their homes or studios to work on their designs before the fashion show this year, Youso said.
There were four workshops, one each week at the Lobe Community Space on Grand Avenue for a month before the event.
The Bergamot Institute provided the trash materials and Moore provided the space for the workshops.
The turnout to the workshops has been low, as many artists continue to work at home, Moore said.
“It’s one of things you have to promote it to the right groups of people,” she said. “It’s always tricky to see who will come.”
Adam King, a Bergamot Institute volunteer who supervised the workshops, said he observed diverse people and talent among those who did come.
“There’s people that make a plan and execute the plan, and then there’s people who just start doing stuff and then they decide they’re done at some point,” King said.
The show is expected to draw at least 25 models walking trashy creations, designed by children and adults alike, according to Moore.
The artists with the winning designs will each receive $100 prizes, with other category winners getting smaller prizes.
Youso said she expects more community involvement and a bigger show this year.
“It’s a great way for people to be a part of their cultural art scene in their town and to draw people from outside as well,” Youso said. “We’re excited to bring people into the creation of art.”
The fashion show and hat promenade will join tours of the historic O. S. Stapley building, the hanging gardens art show that includes a display of recycled political sign art and live music and food for the Grand Avenue Festival.
The fashion show will immediately follow a ribbon-cutting ceremony that celebrates Grand Avenue’s recent street improvements at 3:30 p.m.
Contact the reporter at ascoville@asu.edu
