For its seventh edition, Art Pool Gallery s Trashion Fashion hosted more than 60 models and 25 designers on set.
According to ArtPool owner Marina Williams, Saturday's event was their biggest yet. With rockabilly tunes from the Vultures, the fantastical moves of aerial dancers, a glowing runway, and a rockin’ bar, it was a night to remember.
"We've came a long way", said Williams as she stood on the catwalk. Art Pool has been hosting these shows for 7 years now. This July tradition started out in a very small, crowded locale on first ave north. Today, Williams welcomes more than 200 hundred spectators and participants in a huge lot on Central Ave in front of the beloved Haslams Bookstore.
Clearly, the spaces have changed but the mission stays the same, always.
“It is just really exciting to see how innovative people are with materials they usually throw out. Year after year, we hope that Trashion will show people how to be creative without actually having a professional fashion design background,” said Williams, whom she herself had a pretty extravagant, two-piece Avant Garde look: a long, A-line skirt made out of vintage found photographs and a headdress that looked like a modified ikea light fixture.
It is all about second chances, whether it is a box of old plastic spoons, some old candies or a thrift shop find, everyone's creation spoke about the importance of having the time to be creative even if the hands-on creativity isn't part of the day job.
"The designs are all made from real trash — old doilies, crocheted plastic bags, and plastic cap buttons," said Trashion Fashion veteran Sue Woodall. Together with local instructor Sara Norine their collection of 9 garments, a vintage inspired rockabilly themed collection, took about 4 months to make. Besides trash-made garments and accessories, the designers decided to also include body paint on the models as part of their signature runway looks.
"I made artwork in high school and college. I became a professional graphic designer and now I just want to be able to things with my hands again," says Woodall. These types of local creative events, give artists like Woodall and Norine a chance to create from and by hand, with a creativity and inspiration that is only found outside their professional life.
Trashion concluded the night with a successful, fun catwalk, a ton of giveaways and a lot of smiling locals.
For a more complete look at the show, check out Joseph Siciliano's video on Fashion Trashion Show 2014.
