The University of Minnesota held its annual Trashion Fashion show in April, and it’s full of upcycling inspiration!
The event is part of the Studio Art program and challenges students to create costumes using upcycled materials. That means instead of buying new fabric and materials, they created costumes (and some sets!) using reclaimed, recycled, and found materials.
Not only do students get to show off their upcycling and costuming skills, they get course credit for doing so! The fashion show is part of the 3D studio course. They display the results with a runway show and use some of the costumes in school productions. The school’s 2010 production of “As You Like It,” for example, used costumes from the show along with upcycled sets, and the UMM Theatre Department was able to costume the entire cast for only $20.
The show is in its third year, and there were dozens of amazing costumes on the runway. Here are highlights from 2009, 2010, and from earlier this year.
Next >> 2009
[All photos Creative Commons via Nic’s Events.]
RE: Making the cans safe, you could take some gaffer’s tape and put it around the cut edges. It’s like ultra duct tape (which would also probably work… if you can’t duck it… well, you know the rest).
For the newspaper ballarina dress, I know Simplicity patterns has a Go Green pattern for a corset that can be made from magazines. Might be a good place to start. I would say the skirt would have to be a second piece from the looks of it, with some type of elastic band that it is attached to. Very inspiring outfit. Might have to try making that one on my own.