One of the boldest artistic statements coming out of Mount Baker Secondary School — and the fashion event of the season — is running in its fourth edition Friday, April 25.
The annual "Trashion Fashion" show takes place at the Tamarack Centre in Cranbrook starting at 7:30 p.m. Mount Baker art students have been busy over the past weeks creating haut couture out of throwaway or recyclable items. Friday night bodes to be a colourful and interesting visual experience.
The Trashion Fashion Show is the brainchild of art teacher Cheryl Wilkinson. "I wanted to create this Trashion show for about a decade before I actually did it," she said.
“I saw a Trashion show on the coast years ago and I decided I wanted to do it here. I loved the idea from the start and thought it would be a great thing to show during Earth Week.”
Students have created their own designs from a variety of materials. The designers may model their own outfits, or have another model hit the catwalk wearing it.
Wilkinson has three art classes involved in the show, and Leigh Cormier, another art teacher at Mount Baker, has her Grade 10 class involved as well. About 100 students — male and female — are involved in all manner of capacities.
“The show has been very successful in previous years,” Wilkinson said. “They generally get about 200 people watching the shows, and many donations. The students always have a blast and love showing off what they can do.”
There will be a wide, varied and astounding display of couture on the runway Friday. One example is a dress made out of candy wrappers, coffee cups and coffee lids. Another outfit is made out of camera slides. A great collection of Kleenex boxes has been transformed into a wonderful peacock dress. There is also a dress made for a child out of neckties.
Local businesses have contributed materials, such as Favorit Cycle with a donation of bike tubes. Coles bookstore has contributed an assortment of gift cards which has been turned into apparel. Gerick Sports has contributed some items, and the community at large has been dropping off material for weeks for the students to rework.
The end of previous Trashion shows aways features the “bridal couple,” and this year three bridal couples will be showing off the latest.
“The Tamarack Centre has been so good to us the last few years,” Wilkinson said. “They give us a runway to use for the models and they set up the chairs. They give us a space for the models to change in. It seems everyone has fun doing the show and working together to make it work which is great —it’s supposed to be fun.”
Wilkinson said the Mount Baker teachers and students involved in the Trashion show want to thank DJ Kolton Johnstone for volunteering to do music, Laurie Middle School for the the use of the sound system, and the Tamarack Centre for all its help.
The fourth annual Trashion Show will be held at the Tamarack Centre on Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but there will be a donation station set up by the DJ. All donations will go to the Cranbrook Community Garden.