The 2014 Bloomington Trashion Refashion Runway Show collection of artists, designs, photos, videos, and sponsors.
REFASHION 2014
Complete List of Designs and Descriptions in order of appearance.
1. Upside-Down Orange from four-year Trashion Refashion veteran, seven year old Sydney Shoemaker. A marriage of style and comfort, Upside-Down Orange combines a t-shirt top and prom dress pants. Sydney and mom Julie Finn cut and pieced together donated t-shirts and prom dresses to create this flashy ensemble, bringing Sydney's original bell-bottom sketch to life.
2. Ikea Hack from the design team of Celie and Iris Kreilkamp. Modeled by Iris, Ikea Hack started as white Ikea curtains, old denim jeans, and an Ikea hanging clothes box. Take that, Scandinavian retail giant!
3. Wonderful Wizard of Was from designer Dana Backs. She decided that this Wizard's wardrobe WAS a not-so-bewitching assortment. It consisted of an oversized black velour jacket, a sparkly purple and black suit, a purple polka dotted tulle dress and a satiny purple nightshirt. With a little help from an enchanted spinning wheel and a touch of bippity boppity boo, these worn out rags transformed into a magical Wizard's cloak just for her daughter Lucy. Pulchra et Venefici!
4. Purrrrfect Playtime from Kaitlin Sowder. Saving a cute cap-sleeved kitten t-shirt from loneliness, Kaitlin added the aluminum silver and purple butterfly as a playmate for the white kitty. A "purrrfectly" fun top like this shouldn't stand alone, so she added red and white striped materials given to her by her grandmother to create and attach a skirt, turning it into a dress. Adding tulle to the sleeves and waistline, behold! Purrrrfect Playtime was born.
5. Sunshine Daydreamer from designers Alia Britton-Grady and Beth Underdahl-Peirce! Taking a stiff old brown corduroy skirt, this design pair added pops of color and lively movement using unwanted bandannas of different colors, successfully turning winter wear into summer freedom. Other rescued bandannas became the halter top and a matching outfit for Beth's infant son. You'll be sure to see this mother-son combo dancing barefoot in the grass during the summer!
6. Prairie Princess Peek-a-boo from designer Lee Sandweiss. Repurposed a slightly scorched round tablecloth from South Africa into a feminine peek-a-boo circle skirt. She combines it with a two-dollar denim jacket from the Goodwill embellished with antique lace from a disintegrating vintage blouse and ribbon from a baby blanket ready to grow up. Using pink acrylic paint from another project, Lee painted to buttons on the jacket to make them pop. A puckered top from the Goodwill was redeemed for the camisole under the jacket.
7. My Love Affair with Celtic Wool. Woolicious designer Jennifer Wright has long loved and admired hand knit Irish sweaters. Rescuing many discarded beauties from yard sales and thrift stores over the years, Jennifer created to create a full length cape sure to keep a lass warm. Black leggings and a t-shirt also sourced from second hand shops provide under-coverage.
8. Kiss and Tie from Team Tangerine. This dress is a super-swingy, fresh and fierce version of the classic tie-skirt! For this design, a stretchy nightgown was transformed into a sleek and suprisingly sexy racerback that's all party in the front, business in back! Take a look closer and see the little necktie bracelet to match!
9. Warm Wooly, a design by Patricia Coleman. This set is made from repurposed boiled wool and cotton knit. The skirt is patch work with a drawstring waist, an outer front pocket appliqued with a bird and with a button closure, a red heart element on the back, decorative cutting to create fringe and a small amount of machine embroidery. The shirt is re-purposed cotton knit with wool trim and pocket.
10. Sunrise to Sunset from designer Claire Higginbotham. What better way to keep toasty warm on a nippy day than to wrap up in a couple dozen sweaters? What?! A couple dozen sweaters? Impossible!? Each sweater coat is repurposed from 10 to 25 sweaters and is completely unique. Whether it’s on your body or on a coat hook, it’s a piece of art, one you can wear any chilly day of the year.
11. The Mermaid Tea Dress from Team Tangerine's Lily and Anita, modeled by Lily . Grandma's swimsuit from the 60's, an old orange dress, and handpainted buttons from a discarded jacket became a lovely dress for a bright summer day. Lily's hat combines an well-worn basket, a leftover halloween costume, bath scrubbies, and flowers from a bouquet. The whole is definitely far more than the sum of its parts!
12. Harmonium from Cynthia Roberts-Hall, modeled by Ellie. The bodice of this light dress was made from the top portion of another dress, the skirt from an unwanted blouse. White buttons from the proverbial button box, and delicate lace from a millinery decoration complete the design, polished off with a bow from a slip strap that holds up one side of the skirt. Now this spring dress sings!
13. IU Swing Dance Club T-shirts from Jane Matranga. She created this fit and flare princess seam dress from four large t-shirts. Jessica is our model. Jane cut up the t-shirts and arranged the pattern pieces so that the silkscreen designs were upsidedown and cropped except for the one in the front center . The t-shirt sleeves were opened and set into the skirt as godets to add more flare and swing.
14. Ellie Dress from designer Evelina Barnes. Oooo, Heaven is a dress on Earth! Borrowing white from all over, Evelina cut and attached pieces an old dress, a medieval-style wedding gown and--believe it or not--pajamas to make this slinky design. Shepolished off this divine piece with reused gold ribbon trim along the hem and cross-stitching on the bodice, to share a little bit of "Heaven" with us.
15. Jean Re-mix from designer Alexis Freeman. After hearing many country songs about "painted on jeans, Alexis refashioned her husband's blue jeans into this sophisticated strapless cocktail dress. Jean hems form the neckline; side seams and waistband create interest across the garment. One side laces together to allow for easy on and off, and easy size adjustment, and the hem is left frayed for a worn-in look.
16. Designed Obsolescence from Liz Mikolaj and Kerri Zhang, grad students in the IU Human-Computer Interaction Design program. Liz is our model. This garment for the robot girl of the retrofuture features cast-off technological components, no longer needed as the world around us constantly upgrades. These bits of e-trash are still very much alive in form, color, and with a little ingenuity even in function. Using umbrella pieces, the skirt offers its own analog liveliness, making the garment an interactive experience. Topped off with a circuit board hat.
17. Tubular Transformation from designer Lee Sandweiss. Have you ever wondered how far a tube scarf would stretch? Lee took her inquiry to its logical conclusion with this design: This Mod color-block ensemble started life as three 99-cent tube scarves from Goodwill, a used pair of bike shorts, and a used black tank top One size fits almost all, this is a super comfy yet stylish outfit perfect for lounging around the house or going out for a casual event.
18. Lady in Red from designer Tanya Kuzmina. Redesigned from a used two-tiered shorter dress and a used red lace blouse, this elegant evening dress now boasts three fabric textures sure to make heads turn and hearts jealous. She completed her evening dress with a classy red hat made from the former dress sleeves and black tulle from one of the original pieces, and added a necklace for a touch of sparkle.
19. Peace, Love and Friendship from designer Kiersten Wheelock. Spring is here, and with it? , and this ensemble is made from vintage yarn, along with several garments all given to our designer from friends. Kiersten used her talent with a pair of needles to honor those friends with the knitted flowers that adorn this ensemble. Pairing these materials with a pair of leather boots that would have otherwise been tossed after this harsh winter, Kiersten created this hippy-era inspired look designed to celebrate spring and friendship!
20. Flower Grrrl design team Laurel Bender and Kaitlin Sowder discovered bits and materials from our local Goodwill and with leftovers in a sewing box, strove to find a place for them. It all came together with a lucky Ebay find! A beautiful 1960s-era tablecloth from Fallani and Cohn was paired with a sleeveless leopard-print top made from a cotton knit bed sheet, and details salvaged from old tank-tops. Spin and twirl for Flower Grrrl!
21. Stripey Ruffles design from Kaitlin Sowder. Kaitlin started with an old shirt that had been living in the project pile for 3 years. She paired it with a tank top turned upside-down and added ruffles using torn bedskirts, modeled by Keely.
22. Ivy is our model for Kelly Richarson's design Scavenger Hunt. This charming design was scavenged from old garments collected by the designer's mother and aunt for years, and combined with a reconstructed grey t-shirt, embellished with glittering salvaged beads and spirals made from t-shirt strips. An abandoned white petticoat and two reenvisioned used black t-shirts complete the ensemble. Kelly Richardson's Scavenger Hunt!
23. Designer Rowena Cross-Najafi offers us "Mexican Embroidery, Part 1", modeled by Maggie.The skirt material came from a Mexican shift dress that Rowena's mother bought years ago in San Antonio, Texas. Our designer loved the embroidery but not the horizontal stripe, so she cut the skirt on the bias and attempted to cut around a lot of small rust stains. The vest was knitted from string rescued from a furniture factory closing in Salem by Rowena's brother, and the t-shirt was once a 1980s dress, donated by a friend. It took a village for Rowena to create "Mexican Embroidery, Part 1".
24. But wait, there's more: it's Mexican Embroidery, Part 2 from Rowena Cross-Najafi, modeled by Fran. This sundress brings together a 1980's elastic-waisted skirt purchased by her mother in San Antonio, with the sleeves and neck binding of a turquoise sporting event t-shirt that her son abandoned when he went to college. Rowena is saving the front and back of the t-shirt for a quilt she will make someday commemorating his successful high school athletic career. It's a Family Affair with Mexican Embroidery, Part 2.
25. Nicole is wearing "Botanical Upcycle" from designer Patricia Coleman! This ensemble features a linen jacket, embellished with origami folded flowers made from salvaged pants; and a skirt with an origami tessellation element. The skirt, by the way, began life as pants. The jacket and skirt were dyed and printed with fallen leaves of sycamore, dogwood, and black cherry trees, fresh invasive multi-flora rose, and autumn olive leaves, using decomposition as a tool. Taking a cue from nature herself is "Botanical Upcycle".
26. Designer -model Laurel Bender and Kaitlin Sowder created Pant-Suit. This three-piece ensemble is constructed from two man's wool suit pants and a man's dress shirt. The top of one pair of pants became the skirt, which is finished off with a band of red wool. The bottom of the jacket is the top of the other pair of pants, turned upside-down. The jacket sleeves were once the pants legs, while the rest of the jacket was fashioned out of more bits of red wool, and fake fur. Laurel's husband's shirt became a sleeveless blouse with a square neckline. The cuffs of the shirt were used as sleeve "caps."
27. Meeeeeoooow.......Designer Sheila Ferguson used donated sheer drapes and a satin tank top to create The Catwalker. This cute party dress was given a new life and an adorable bouncy bottom. It's okay if you stare, but nothing new was used to create this sexy little number.
28. Another Fine Mesh (you've gotten me into). Elizabeth models this design from David Ebbinghouse. This mesh dress has an overlay skirt of hot pink braided mason's cord macrame tied in a fish net pattern and belted with a stiff nylon strap belt originally used with scuba gear. It is decorated with floor glides from the bottom of chair legs. The gloves and boots are decorated and detailed with pop tops woven together to make bracelets and anklets. A matching necklace completes "Another Fine Mesh".
29. Erin is wearing Black on Black. Jane Matranga's two piece ensemble was created from fabric scraps from previous projects that never materialized and one sewing fail! If you look closely, you'll find scraps of faux leather, a scrap of matte jersey and some glitter mesh. The black mesh boat neck top was initially too sheer to wear, but strategically placed remnants solved the problem.
30. Maria is modeling Tanya Kuzmina's design, A la Turgenev. It's a long romantic dress, in the style of a nineteenth century character from the novels of Ivan Turgenev. This dark-blue floral summer dress is styled with re-designed sleeves, a cream lace skirt layer, a flower corsage and a summer hat.
31. Shirt off my Back a Reduex from AmyLue. For the crazy quilt pattern on the collar, Amy used leftover pieces of fabric from last year's Refashioned white shirt and the pieces of the top of the shirt dress. The striped bodice of the dress comes from the sleeves of the sweater/shirt. The skirt is made from the bottom of the shirt dress and embellished for a updated kicky look that can go from a country picnic to an evening out by just removing the collar. Vintage and refashioned accessories finish the look and allow Amy to give her daughter and model Annie literally, the "Shirt off my Back"
32. Regeneration from Sheila Ferguson is modeled by Chelsea. Sheila took a vintage party dress, to recreate something the modern woman could wear by rearranging pieces of this donated gown to show off a sexier sillouhette with a trend setting attitude.
33. Stephanie is our "Footballer Babe", a design by David Ebbinghouse. Two machine knit British soccer scarves were deconstructed and sewn back together to make a long tube. A leather jacket became a high collared neck piece to button to the top of the knit tube dress. A saved abalone shell button connects the pieces. David wove pop tops together with braided nylon cord to make bracelets for the second hand gloves and anklets for the booties.
34. Claire Russell's Breath of Spring modeled by the designer, is made from t-shirts and bed sheets. Perfect for a summer party, this flowing, light dress was designed to be elegant but young, so it's open in the back. The dress moves freely and is very breathable. I think we're all ready for A Breath of Spring.
35. Jeanne Smith brings us Bubble Skirt and Sparkles. The inspiration for this dress arrived when the sparkly top was removed from a full length evening gown donated to Discardia by the late trashionista Gail Kincaid. This hand sewn matador-style top was joined with a full length velour shift in a luscious purple that complements the top beautifully. The loft of the bubble skirt comes from 50 plastic grocery bags tied to each other to form a crinoline that is permanently encased in the velour skirt. Ostrich feathers and accessories made from pieces of the salvaged velour skirt adorn the outfit.
36. Our next design, Popular Flower, comes from Kathleen Clark. In anticipation of the blossoms of spring, Kathleen created this gown in the form of the flower of the Tulip Poplar, Indiana's state tree. The design came together from a discarded dress, t-shirts, a pillow case and an old bed sheet. She tops it off with a hat made from cardboard containers and pipe cleaners. Kathleen's ensemble is in full bloom!
37. It's another design from Jane Matranga. The Graphic Tee Mash-Up is modeled by MacKenzie. This wedge-shape dress is made from 6 large graphic T-shirts in tropical colors. This one-of-a-kind print dress has a wide V-neck and off-the-shoulder cap sleeves, along with front and back kick pleats.
38. Ugly Christmas sweaters are child's play! Designer Lee Sandweiss loves Christmas! "Christmas Swag Spectacle" is modeled by Nancy. Aunt Betty (now 91) taught Lee to recycle Christmas ribbon and paper by ironing it to get the wrinkles out. Thanks to Aunt Betty, Lee has bags of used Christmas swag! The tree-topper star inspired the outfit—which also incorporates a used green king-sized duvet cover, green polyester lace curtains from Goodwilll, a used crinoline slip found on eBay, a motheaten red cashmere sweater and a red fez from her kids’ old Halloween costume bin. Lee used floral wire to adorn the fez with the the shining star that will set the bar at your next holiday gathering!
39. Sheila Ferguson's design The Bride is modeled by Keragan. When a dear friend donated a vintage wedding dress to Sheila, she wanted to breathe new life into the gown by creating a modern two piece silhouette. Nothing new has been used in the design, perfect for a modern spring wedding.
40. Steam Punk is a design by Jeanne Smith, modeled by Jeania Pate. Two formal gowns from the Gail Kincaid collection, a worn slip and the feathers shed by a pair of beloved pet peacocks went into making this steam punk evening dress ready for a glamorous party.
41. This Disengaged Concert Gown is a design by Roxanne Smyser. Reinvented from a concert gown Roxanne wore in high school orchestra, the leather straps on the sides and front were from an old Halloween costume, while the snaps on the sides date back to the 30s, and were handed down from her grandmother . Note the metal and leather corset add on in the back-- taken of an old pair of work boots, The gown can be worn 3 different ways, with the bustle in the front let down, with the gathering unsnapped on the sides, and then with the dress in a traditional a-frame with no modifications. The Disengaged Concert Gown.
42. Tie Chic is a design by Haley Maddox, modeled by Lindsey. This mid-thigh length dress is made entirely of ties, vertically spread around the dress. Haley has taken advantage of the ties' many colors, patterns, and designs to turn the most conventional of men's apparel into a playful, chic design for contemporary wear.
43. Sweater Belle is a design by David Ebbinghouse, that's modeled by Sarah. When an angora sweater was attacked by moths, the ravaged parts were amputated, and a knit skirt was attached with pink nylon cord and two scarves were threaded through the gap. A foam flotation device/or "pool noodle" was used to make a hoop for the skirt. Sarah's gloves and boots are decorated with pop tops woven together with nylon cord to make bracelets and anklets, and her hat was made from plastic window screening. Sarah is our Sweater Belle.
44. This Refashioned Wedding Gown comes to us from designer Liby Ball. Aziza models this high-fashion gown, that started life in the 1970s as a “Prairie Girl” Wedding Dress. Liby removed the puffy sleeves and choker-style collar, creating the new dramatic neckline. She dyed the dress with black tea to even out the color of the aging fabrics, removed all of the appliques and handpainted them for the new shoulder embellishments. She replaced the zipper with reclaimed pearl buttons to show off the sheer lace back, and made the train from the the dress's original ruffled lace.
Trashion 2014
1. Swooping into our show, it's Brenden Jarrett as Real Life Caped Crusader! Last fall, Brenden was the only person with his Mimi when an emergency rendered her helpless. He bravely called her an ambulance, earning a lifetime of gratitude from his favorite damsel in distress. Tara Jones and Terri Speer designed his flashy costume from an unwanted swim suit--the floatation devices from inside the old suit became the lightning bolt accessories--and an old dress and photography backdrop became the cape. Brenden Jarrett is our Real Life Caped Crusader!
2. Sockerella, Sockerella, dressed in....well, socks! Designer Ada Lynch worked her magic on a mismatched sock collection, an old blanket, some headphones and a few curtains to create this dress and shawl ensemble, worn by little Ruth. Next time your socks are lost in the wash, take a cue from Ada: with a little bippity-boppity-boo, you could be a Sockerella too!
3. From Blue Eyes & Bare Feet children's clothing line, it's a Vintage Children's Halter Dress. Designer Stephanie Williams found vintage fabrics stored and untouched in the home that several generations of the Williams family had lived in. Airing them out and breathing life into these fabrics, Stephanie created an adorable halter dress for her daughter, that she hopes will continue to transcend generations. A design by Stephanie Williams.
4. 'What the Doctor Ordered', is a collaboration between metalsmith Nicole Stonier and fiber artist Jay Garst, and modeled by Nicole and her daugher Reghan. Celebrating the marriage of metal and fiber, this design pulls together discarded curtains and hospital sheets with fashion cues boasting historical flair. All jewels, adornments and bling were created using washed out Dr Pepper Cans. This mother/daughter pairing is just what the doctor ordered.
5. I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore..because I see "Lions and Tigers and Fake Fur, Oh no!" by Cynthia Roberts Hall, modeled by Taylor. This short sleeved tunic features a corduroy bodice, sleeves made from onion bags, a patchwork fur skirt section, and leopard-printed ankle bands. Our designer enlisted the aid of her grandson Jackson to string together seeds from gourds and plant fibers for the accessories. "Lions and Tigers and Fake Fur, Oh no!"
6. Our model Jessica is breaking waves and setting trends in Dana Backs' design "Funfish". Years of fun in the sun have made this Sunfish sail soft and supple, no longer ship-shape for sailing but perfect for dressmaking. The dress was made from a 1967 Simplicity pattern. Even the zipper comes from the wayback machine of 1975!
7. Never losing its fizz, it's "Baby Pop" from designer Grace Bono. This garment brought together hundreds of recycled soda pop tabs and a black bed sheet on its way to the trash. The chain mail weave of the pop tabs on the bodice creates a flexible, and comfortable pseudo-textile. The short empire-waisted dress features a corset lacing up the back and a reconfigurable and removable hood. It's Baby Pop from Grace Bono!
8. And we're drifting along...with the Tremulous Tumbleweed, from designer Karen Burgett. Karen combined a thrift store sweater and tights, leftover yarns and tulle, to bringing to life a fashion statement for anywhere the where the trail might wind.
9. The "Katwise Sweater Coat-Monochrome Rainbow" was created and is being modeled by Mandy Reed. Based on a pattern by Etsy artist Katwise, this rhapsody in gray unites 20 scavenged sweaters and an old blanket. The coat boasts a 4 ft-long dragon-like hood and 30 panels to make up a hem that measures nearly 23 feet, perfect for spinning and showing off. It's Mandy Reed's "Monochrome Rainbow".
10. Don't get caught unprepared, it's "Raining in July". A design by Valeria De Castro, Marlene Martins, and Luna DeCastro, modeled by her daughter Anita. The cold plastic of a popped Pilates ball is balanced here by the organic sensuality of lace rescued from an old nightgown. Vegetable netting provides accents and details. And a defunct umbrella complements the romantic feeling of this design. From Valeria De Castro, it's "Raining in July".
11. Tie the Knot with this trendy trashion ensemble designed and modeled Kara Ratcliff! The skirt of the ensemble was created from a section of a Twister game mat, while the leftover pieces were bunched and stapled for the bustle! The dress ties in the back with rope from a destroyed dog's toy. An old white halter top was adorned with scraps of yellow and blue foam craft paper for the top of the ensemble.
12. It's "Up Up and Away" from designers Jennifer Vickers and Bettina Kehoe. The weekend after Valentine's Day, three businesses donated the torn and unsold Valentine's balloons that inspired these reversible sister designs. The designers wove strips of the mylar balloons into panels and used their strings as shoulder straps. Check out these heartbreakers in Up Up and Away!
13. Bravely step into the "Lyme Life", with the design team of Jeanne Leimkuhler, Susan Colman Morse, and Yara Cluver, who's modeling for us tonight. Combining IV bags, medical tubing, chicken wire, a broken umbrella, used shirt and a scarf, this butterfly-like design symbolizes designer Susan Coleman Morse's struggle with Lyme disease and her desire to continue to be a positive, strong, and creative woman in the midst of her heavily medicalized life. Let's hear it for Lyme Life.
14. Flirty and Young, it's "Fantasme" modeled and designed by Marissa Mendez. Inspired by the name of her favorite shade of eyeshadow, Marissa challenged herself to make this "steampunk fairy" look out of grocery sacks. Her corset is held together by duct tape, exposed as an accent color. Her tutu is made entirely of plastic bags with an elastic waist band. The wings are made of wire hangers bent into cog gears. Fantasme, from Marissa Mendez.
15. *Erin* is modeling "Decomposition" a design by Maddy Behrens. This design calls on multiple materials for its construction; brown paper lunch bags for the top and accent flower; discarded white plastic garbage bags decorated with splatters of neon colored paint for the skirt. All tied up and held together with found ribbon, Maddy definitely shows us how it's done with "Decomposition".
16. "Foiled Rotten" from Erin Miller, who's also our model. This design features a halter top woven from used aluminum foil, and a two-part skirt created by connecting used coffee bags, noodle bags and Goldfish bags-- all of the bags distinguished by being colorful on the outside and metallic on the inside. Proving that all that glitters is NOT gold, it's Erin Miller's "Foiled Rotten".
17. Designer Amber Bridges brings us back to life with A Bounce of Plastic. This garment is constructed primarily from everyday household finds. Recycled dryer sheets are used to create the base of the dress and plastic from recycled drink bottles is manipulated for a touch of edginess and color in the bodice. Simple, clean and catchy, it's a showcase of creative reuse: Amber Bridges, "A Bounce of Plastic"
18. You don't have to be a lion or a ringmaster to sport tails when the Design "Circus" comes to town! Trashion veteran Jeanne Smith created this whimsical outfit by combining colorful clown-like pants with trashioned men's coat tails. Pairing the design with a top hat puts model Stephen Hale in the mood and the spirit to enjoy the big top! Thank YOU for taking this trashion design to the next level Jeanne, with "Circus".
19. Perfect for spring, Alyson Eickleberry brings us "Lotus". The petals of the Lotus-like skirt were made of individual cardboard pieces cut into different sized triangles, stapled and tied together to allow for a swingy movement. To complete the look, Alyson breathed life into scrap fabric, plastic granola bags, bubble-wrap, and spray paint. Bloom into 2014 with Alyson Eickleberry's design "Lotus".
20. It's the "Magazine Dress" from designer Mengyue Tan! The next time you're in the waiting room, you won't have to rely on your dentist's reading material if you show up in this design! The pages are woven as the top of the dress, and the bottom is made of turned-up magazine pages strung up by thread. Beautiful, and literary, it's the "Magazine Dress"!