Imagine seeing a sleek, flattering, unique cocktail dress that's not only affordable but also fashion-forward. Now imagine that it's made out of plastic bags, bottle caps and soda cans.
Groundwork Providence thinks sustainable fashion isn't as far-fetched as it may seem, and the environmental advocacy group is willing to prove it. The non-profit environmental education organization, along with co-sponsor climate-neutrality group emPOWER, will present its sixth-annual Runway Earth fashion show tonight at the American Locomotive Building in Providence.
The outfits are made entirely from recycled or scavenged materials by local designers, including Brown and Rhode Island School of Design students, and will be worn by local celebrity models.
"We ask people not to purchase anything new, just to make new uses," said Jennifer Cole, executive director of Groundwork Providence and director of the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program.
"We want people to realize that not everything needs to go into their trash can when they get rid of it," Cole said. "It can be used again in a creative way."
The fashion show stresses sustainability as well as the reduction of "trash."
"We want to create things that will last a long time," Cole said. "We have some really neat vintage pieces in the show that really show fashion keeps coming around and around again. In 20 years, you can just wear it again and be fashion-forward."
If the number of designers is any indication, the idea of recycled fashions may be catching on. With over 50 designers participating this year, "we have a record number," Cole said.
"I just kind of sent out word that I needed designers, and everyone responded," said emPOWER member Mollie West '09, who is helping to organize Runway Earth.
To find models for the recycled fashions, Cole said, "We brainstorm - 'Who would we like to see in a wacky dress made out of five bridesmaids' dresses?' Most people love it."
Models for the event include Miss Rhode Island 2006 Allison Rogers, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Sam Calise, Director of the Providence Department of Planning and Development Thomas Deller and WaterFire creator Barnaby Evans '75.
"I agreed to participate because I think it is a good, fun way to raise funds for a good grassroots organization," wrote Brown Resource Efficiency Manager Kurt Teichert, who will be modeling for the event, in an e-mail to The Herald. "I have seen fashion shows like this before at recycling meetings, and I really like the way it brings together artistic talents, creative reuse of materials and the environmental message."
One of the main draws of the show, West said, is the creativity on the part of the designers. "Whenever you create something beautiful out of trash, there's the awe factor. I think a lot of the audience will be thinking 'I never would have thought of that,' " she said.
The fashion show may also get a boost by the current popularity of Project Runway, she said.
The outfits fall into a few different categories, including "formal eveningwear, climate-neutral future wear and athletic wear," West said.
With emPOWER's help this year, Runway Earth will be a carbon-neutral event, as carbon offsets will be purchased, West added. The carbon-neutral fashion category, which encourages designers to use as little power as possible when manufacturing their ensembles, is also new.
"We have a lot of designs stapled or glued or hand-sewn," Cole said.
West herself designed an outfit for the show - a white tube dress made from recycled plastic. Dresses at past events were created out of old RIPTA tickets and used Hot Topic gift cards, West said, but she wanted to do something simple.
Catherine Kim, a designer from RISD, made her two outfits "very wearable -from far away, you can't really tell if they're made from recycled materials or not."
Designing for the show, Kim said, was "a great way for creative people to put their work up there and have it be shown, for a great cause too."
In the past, Groundwork Providence's fashion shows have garnered audiences of several hundred people, Cole said, adding, "We have a much bigger venue this year, so we can hold a lot more" - an estimated 300 people.
"This is definitely the funnest event of the year, not just for us, but in general. And that's what we're hoping for," she said.
Tickets are available on Groundwork Providence's Web site, as well as at the door.
