What most people would discard without a second thought, 20-year-old Emily Corrigan saw as the ultimate canvas for a high-fashion masterpiece.
The Berea resident and second-year Poimen Training and Motivation fashion design student, turned heads at the Trashion Show held at the BYD Dealership in Nahoon over the weekend, transforming everyday waste into a vibrant, oceanic two-piece ensemble.
Far from just stitching together recycled bits, Corrigan’s outfit tells a poignant story about marine pollution.
“The vision behind this design was to create an outfit that feels as though, through overly-polluted waters, aquatic life itself has become pollution,” Corrigan told the Go! on Tuesday.
Her materials list was far from traditional: discarded fabric, heavy rope, art ink, and old CDs.
The CDs provided a dazzling signature feature – when cut and lit, their reflective backs mimic shimmering fish scales. Meanwhile, a sheer netting skirt symbolised bottom trawling, overfishing, and discarded ghost nets.
Bringing the eco-fashion concept to life demanded immense grit. Corrigan individually cut CDs into scale-like shapes, used a mini drill to puncture tiny holes through each piece, and hand-sewed them onto a hand-dyed purple bodice.
The skirt was washed in a mix of vibrant red and blue art inks.
The labour of love took over 40 hours of meticulous work.
“What was most challenging wasn’t the work itself, but the discipline needed to sit down for prolonged hours.
“The long hours felt never-ending, but I knew the effort would be worth the result,” she said
For Corrigan, sustainable design is about confronting fast fashion and throwaway culture head-on.
“Many perfectly usable items end up in landfills.
“Repurposing old items isn’t just good for the environment – it can be a fun, creative journey.”
Mother, Charmaine, said she was immensely proud of her daughter’s achievement and would continue to support her dreams and aspirations.
“Seeing her turn recycled materials into something so unique was amazing. Her growth and hard work really shine through,” Charmaine said.
Modelled gracefully on the runway by Lenise Stevens of TC Modelling Management, the creation serves as a colourful reminder of what imagination and patience can achieve.
“Hard work, time, and effort lead to the most satisfactory results,” Corrigan said.
“Something considered worthless can always be given new life.”
