Instead of throwing that coffee sleeve into the recycling bin, why not wear it as a cuff or, better yet, a leg warmer? That's the type of thinking that went into the creation of Denton's Trashion Fashion Program going into it's third year now. The award-winning program, a joint venture from the City of Denton's Solid Waste and Recycling Department and the Denton Public Library, invites designers of all ages to create clothing (or what they call "wearable art") from materials that would otherwise end up recycled or in a landfill. Every year, they see designs that really earn that "wearable art" title; impressive garbs from all ages made from items as inconspicuous as dryer sheets.
The program has had months of preparation in the form of various workshops that help designers along the creation process. Last weekend, many of the models and designers had a photoshoot with Denton ISD's Commercial Photography class at the Pratt Recycling building off of Mayhill. Many of the photos from that shoot are embedded below. This saturday, at the Redbud Festival (Quakertown Park by the Civic Center), this year's program will culminate with an actual fashion show complete with a runway, judges, and food trucks. So, if you're the type who likes to chill out on the grass and munch on some banh mi (we're hoping The Pickled Carrot will be out), catch some live music, think about the environment for a bit (recycle that banh mi wrapper, dagnabit) and then catch a quick fashion show - you should probably go to the Redbud Festival. It is free afterall. Let's go ahead and look at some pretty photos now.
Model/Designer: Angela Rawlings
Photographer: Lexi Drake
Model/Designer: Sam Cogley
Photographyed by Cynthia Pantaleon
Photographer: Cynthia Pantaleon, Model/Designer: Megan Gibson
Photographer: Lexi Drake, Model Jensen Owens
EDITOR'S NOTE: The writer of this article, Will Milne, is affiliated with the Trashion Fashion Program in that he teaches the photography class that took the photos above. He also made this editor's note in which he proceeded to write in the third person. Conflicts of interest be darned.