The music blared, the cameras flashed, the people cheered.
One by one, students from Mount Baker Secondary School made their way down the runway in haute couture.
The annual Trash Fashion Show on April 26 brought the school’s talented designers and models together to show off their latest line of clothing made entirely out of recycled and repurposed material. Outfits were assembled with tissue paper, foil, candy wrappers, dog bags, beer cans, newspaper, and books.
Students walked a runway set up in the foyer of Key City Theatre, to music spun by DJs Heath Kimber and Nathan Kumpula. MCs Skylar Paulsen and Edison Wilmot announced the models.
Stage managers Kenny Rohrig and Lindsay Coltman helped everything run smoothly back stage.
A slideshow that played on the wall in front of the runway showed the inspiration behind each design. Students based their creations off videos on social media, video game characters, travel and their favourite colours.
Taylyn Skinner wore a dress based off the 2023 hit film Barbie, made from coffee filter flowers and a fitted sheet with streamers. The bright pink colour on the outfit paid homage to the movie. She said it took over three weeks for her friends to make the dress.
Payton Hansen airbrushed European architecture onto a trench coat. He took a trip to Europe last year and was inspired by the beautiful buildings he saw in Paris, Venice, Rome, London and Rhodes, and wanted to recreate it for the runway. On his coat is the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain.
Katara Reynolds wore a suit of armour based on one of her favourite video game characters, Gabriel from Ultrakill. She made the outfit out of EVA foam and cardboard, and spray painted it gold.