TRASH2TRENDS 2020: “GOLDEN ERA GAL”
Since we are once again entering the roaring 20s, it felt only right to theme the 2020 garment after the glitz and glamour of Hollywood in the 1920s. Everything about this ensemble is either a recyclable or repurposed item. The main form of the dress is constructed from packing fabric, while each panel is accentuated by hand painted bubble wrap and smashed Christmas ornaments leftover from Universal Orlando’s Prop and Model Shop. I tightly braided and weaved nearly 250 plastic grocery bags to create the line work and scalloping patterns on the dress, armbands and headband. The fringe detail at the bottom hem of the dress is also made from ribboned plastic grocery bags. The feather on the headband is made from a wire hanger sandwiched between layers of sliced grocery bags. Hair and Makeup also styled and executed by me.
TRASH2TRENDS 2019: “VOLCANO BAE”
Volcano Bae, affectionately dubbed after the water theme park Volcano Bay, is a piece entirely created from recyclable and repurposed end-of-life waste items from the park itself. The main bodice is constructed from the fabric of decommissioned lounge chairs in assorted shades, and laced together with the trimmings from a plastic inner-tube. The peplum bustle is fashioned from the same fabric, and the supporting form is constructed from by a damaged foam racer mat. The palm fronds that form the main skirt, armlets, and hair accessories were all harvested from the park’s landscaping. Inner tube plastic comprises the skirt and arm bands, which are all worn snapped together by the straps from a life vests. The design on the front of the bodice is meant to represent the spirit supposedly trapped within the Volcano Krakatau, named Vol. The coolest part of this project (literally, it was February under a misty waterfall) was doing a photoshoot with this piece inside Volcano Bay at 6:00am before guest access. Hair and Makeup also styled and executed by me.
TRASH2TRENDS 2018: “BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN”
Bride of Frankenstein was my inaugural entry as the Universal Studios representative sponsor artist for Trash2Trends. Since our company sponsored the event, I decided that I wanted every design from here on to directly relate back to the Universal Studios brand. Where better to start than the genre that started it all? Black and white Monster movies! Better yet, it had to be the proverbial Queen of the monsters, the Bride herself. This garment was created with recyclable items collected from and donated by Universal Creative Team Members. The bodice is constructed from a base of softened cardboard, lined with a ruff made of plastic garbage bags, and buckled together by several old belts. The composition of the collar piece is largely the same except for the addition of bolts (because of course), with the batwing high-collar formed from bent wire hangers sandwiched between trimmed garbage bags. I liked the idea that the Bride might want to keep a “memento mori” of her beloved, so I took some extra time to custom sculpt a clasp that doubles as a broach worn at the front of the collar. The main skirt and arm accents are comprised of hundreds of spiral-cut strips of garbage bags to create crinkled, textured wisps that added a kinetic spookiness to the piece when the model moved. Finally, How could I forget that iconic beehive? The best way to achieve this in my mind was to build a paper wig from intricately cut hardstock and thin cardboard, which I layered in a waved pattern. All pieces of the outfit recieved the black-and-white treatment with a variety of old paint products. On the night of the show she glided across the catwalk while flourishing a thrifted victorian umbrella for her to use as a lightning rod, and with that, “She…was…ALIVE!”
WEARABLE ART IV + V
Creating wearable art started as a fun way for me to stretch my creative muscles in ways that were different from my studio art coursework while I attended University. I competed in two competitions during my college career, and won the award “Most Creative” during my very first show. These garments definitely don’t stack-up to some of my most recent designs, but it’s always valuable to look back on personal progress. Every attempt at something new starts-off a little messy, but with persistence you can only grow better than the last thing you created.