2015 Student Runway Gallery Posted

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Rubbish Renewed

T-Time
Designer & Model: Lily McNabb
Materials: Tea bag wrappers

Inspiring students rewards all of us. As a teacher, seeing students create a goal, persevere through challenges and meet that goal, is the best. And when that goal includes taking care of the planet, it’s even better. I’ve had a chance to teach, mentor, assist, problem solve, and push students each year to enter in the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. Many life skills come out of this experience and the 2015 Gallery shares the fruits of this labor. Thanks for all the determination, resilience, and follow-through shown by these student designers. We can’t wait to see what they bring this year.

Only 3 1/2 weeks to the submission deadline!

Check out the new 2015 Student Runway gallery posted today! Photos by Tambi Lane Photography.

2015 Adult Runway Gallery Posted!

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Rubbish Renewed

True Contours
Designer: Karen Holm
Materials: slide sleeves & topo maps

As luck would have it, I get to peruse Tambi Lane Photography runway photos from last year’s Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. Thumbing through the images immediately brought me back to the green room on the evening of January 15^th. . . Examining the garments up close illuminates the quality of construction and the intricacy of work (manifested in many hours) that goes into manipulating rubbish into fashion. Textures and tricky techniques abound. Our goal is to continue to push designers in material choices (see post Organic Matter isn’t Rubbish), uniqueness of design and quality construction.

Check out the new Runway 2015 Adult Designer Runway gallery, posted today! Runway photos by Tambi Lane Photography.

PROJECT RUNWAY USES REAL REFUSE FOR ONCE

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Rubbish Renewed

The winning design. Kelly Dempsey creates this textured dress with small pieces of metal ducting.

Kelly Dempsey creates this textured dress with cut pieces of metal ducting.

Ashley Tipton plays with Polaroids.

Project Runway is known for it’s unconventional challenge. Each season, on at least one episode, show designers run to retrieve something unfabric-like, sponsored by some corporation or another. Although unconventional, the objects are new material that is re-envisioned into fashion. Designers use base fabric and hot glue to construct something unique. However amazing, this is not Trash Fashion. (Read our last post “Organic Matter isn’t Rubbish”).

This season, episode 7, used real refuse for once! “The designers go dumpster diving for recycled electronics in order to merge the worlds of fashion and technology.” Although they still use muslin (new material – not allowed in Rubbish Renewed) for base fabric and many use hot glue to assemble the garment, the concept hits the mark. See how these designers manipulate materials, using the innate qualities to push the fashion forward!

How will you stretch your use of materials this season?

Edmond Newton & Candice Cuoco use keyboard keys, wire, and mouse pads.

Get Inspired!

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Rubbish Renewed

Summer is not my time for designing. I want to be outside, playing in our magical home. Fall, however, shifts my brain to creativity. And with that, trash fashion. Prepping my work-space is the first step. Then I play with materials.

My middle nephew came from Belgium this spring for a visit, and with a Bend local he’d met when visiting as a teenager, he enjoyed some Central Oregon fun: a little boating on local rivers, and exploring the areas that surround Bend. East of town they found their way to a spot where locals target shoot. The remnants of shotgun shells covered the dry dusty, midden-like site, an archaeological find uncovering some history of the region. They gathered up a bag full of refuse, bringing me a new material to explore.

What trash will you find? What will inspire you this year?

A PASSION FOR OUR PLANET: THE HEART OF RUBBISH RENEWED

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Rubbish Renewed

Rubbish Renewed 2012
Cascades A&E
Photos by Tambi Lane Photography

Tomorrow night is the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show, and it’s crunch time. Luckily this spectacular show and fundraising event is organized and supported by creative, passionate, artistic, and environmentally conscious people! LOTS OF PEOPLE. Remarkably, during the 11^th hour scramble, a passion for the planet remains at the heart of everything we do. Volunteers, designers, models, marketplace vendors, food carts and sponsors carry our mission, Transforming Trash and inspiring community for a more sustainable earth, skillfully.

All of our sponsors speak to this mission, with some of them, having it at the forefront of their work.

ReThink Waste Station

ReThink Waste//Environmental Center, tomorrow night, will help us make sure we minimize our impact with the Zero Waste Station. Our goal is to keep working toward being the most sustainable event in town!

Bend Electric Bikes is inspiring more people to commute without a car. The electric assist, makes the daily trek, from dropping kids at school, commuting to work, to shopping, accessible to everyone.

Camp Nor’wester has, for 80 years, inspired young people to live in connection with their natural environment and the people around them and put these skills into practice for sustainable living throughout their life.

Join other socially conscious businesses and individuals for an evening of sustainable fashion, showcasing styles that the future demands. We invite you to reconsider the value of trash and celebrate the creative, sustainable spirit of Bend.

It’s going to be a spectacular show!

Image

Behind the Scene Designer Series: Artist 4 – Paula Bullwinkel

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Rubbish Renewed

When Paula Bullwinkel, our 4^th Behind the Scene Designer, isn’t designing couture trash fashion, she works as an artist and art instructor at COCC. I’m always blown away by the strong lines that flow through Paula’s designs. She get’s the human form, and from this, transforms the materials into an extension of the wearer. Here’s a peak into Paula’s process of transforming trash and inspiring community for a more sustainable earth.

(link to 1^st of the series) (link to 2nd of the series) (link to 3rd of the series)

Artist 4 – Paula Bullwinkel

Designer: Paula Bullwinkle
Materials. 7 old oil paintings

RR: How did you get started as a trash fashion designer?

PB: I found extra stuff around my house and I like to imagine something new out of something old or mundane.

RR: What inspires your creations?

PB: I’m inspired by Japanese couture from 1980’s and 1990’s, and 1950’s party dresses.

RR: What is one thing you want to say to all the aspiring young designers?

PB: Art can be wearable.

RR: What is your current goal as a Trash Fashion Designer?

Designers: Paula & Violet Bullwinkle
Materials: Skirt; Brown Grocery Bags, Shirt; Old Tights

PB: I would like to find some really unusual materials in a junk or thrift shop to make something nobody has seen before. I would like to construct something huge and gorgeous.

There’s no question in my mind that Paula Bullwinkel will “construct something huge and gorgeous” for this year’s Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. Come out and get a glimpse on Thursday, January 15^th.

Tickets on sale December 15th. Purchase online at rubbishrenewed.com through eventbrite, at REALMS Charter School in Bend (63175 OB Riley Road), or at Wabi Sabi (downtown Bend / 830 NW Wall St).

Refuse Remover ReStore Re-opening

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Rubbish Renewed

Business Challenge: ReStore 2014

Even with their move imminent and planning their GRAND RE-OPENING, Restore jumped on board as one of our headline sponsors for the Rubbish Renewed Eco-Fashion Show for their 5^th year in a row. This like-minded, community organization has shown unwavering support for our mission of transforming trash and inspiring community for a more sustainable earth!

ReStore Grand Re-opening Schedule

This week marks the ReStore GRAND RE-OPENING! The celebration includes: a Habitat Style “ribbon cutting;” enter for the grand drawing once a day; live piano music on a grand piano that’s for sale; liv-mic radio broadcast; plus the Doors to the Future Art Show & Fundraiser. Each day from December 9^th to 13^th honors a different aspect of our community. Come shop for used and surplus home improvement supplies, or donate yours, and celebrate the GRAND RE-OPENING of ReStore! All proceeds benefit Bend Area Habitat for Humanity, providing home ownership, home repair & weatherization services for hard working low income local families and individuals in Bend and Crook County.

Behind the Scene Designer Series: Artist 3 – N Spekktor

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Rubbish Renewed

Our third artist in the Behind the Scene Designer Series, N Spekktor, has participated in Rubbish Renewed every year since 2010. N Spekktor is one of the few Rubbish Renewed artists who works as a fashion designer, in real life, outside of her passion for trash fashion. Each year she’s produced a spectacular piece for our 21 and older show. Last year N Spekktor generously donated her piece, Bags to Ballroom, for our live auction. We can’t wait to see what N Spekktor has in store for this year’s event that is transforming trash and inspiring community for a more sustainable earth.

(link to 1^st post of the series) (link to 2nd post of the series)

Designer: N. Spekktor
Materials: Plastic grocery bags

Artist 3 – N Spekktor

RR: What do you do in real life when you’re not designing and creating trash fashion?

N Spekktor: I’m a Fashion/Graphic Designer, Event Coordinator, and Co-Producer of Beat Lab 92.9 FM. Over the past year I have traveled throughout the west coast showcasing my first ever swimsuit line and taking on collaborative projects with other designers such as Burning Artist Collective in Reno, NV.

RR: What hooked you on our Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show event?

N Spekktor: I heard about this wonderful show from a friend and loved the cause. Not only do I get to play a part in Eco Fashion, but I get to support an amazing school.

Designer: N Spekktor
Materials: Newspaper & plastic garbage bags

RR: What inspires your creations?

N Spekktor: Each year I have created a different look using a variety of materials. This year I will be collaborating with a local business to create something that has never been on the Rubbish Renewed Runway.

RR: What is one thing you want to say to all the aspiring young designers?

N Spekktor: No matter how much they bully you or try to hold you back, please remember only you know what you are truly capable of. Don’t ever let anyone stop you. I did it and so can you.

The 5^th annual Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show welcomes N Spekktor into the Business Challenge competition as the designer for Stringsoil garment this season! Thanks N Spekktor for your dedication to sustainability through your creative fashion vision. We can’t wait to see what you pull out of the midden.

2 Weeks Until Runway Submission Deadline

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Rubbish Renewed

Each year we are incredibly impressed by the creativity and innovation that walks the Rubbish Renewed runway. The runway submission deadline is just 2 weeks away on December 5th, 2014. You can turn in your submission forms to REALMS Charter School (63175 OB Riley Road), Wabi Sabi (downtown Bend / 830 Wall Street), or at the Workhouse in the Old Ironworks (50 Scott Street). Although we hope your garment is well on it’s way to completion, YOU CAN submit an entry to the show with a partially completed piece. Please simply provide photos of your garment in progress and/or detailed sketches. From your photos and/or sketches the jury needs to be able to see the ultimate vision of your piece in order to determine acceptance into the show.

Runway entries may be submitted as either Trash Fashion or Refashion. Entries will be juried. Jury will use the description of your piece and photos of the finished garment OR if construction is in progress, photos of the garment in process, a detailed sketch, and a description to score the garment. Download Submission Forms here.