On an unseasonably warm day in late February, 29 middle and high school students gathered at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Macky Auditorium Concert Hall for one of the most exciting and creative events of the season. Trash the Runway is an annual fashion show that displays the talents of Boulder teenagers who spend months designing one outfit and one accessory (from hair pieces to jewelry to handbags) and using only discarded materials to bring their visions to life.
Produced by community sponsors, vendors and volunteers in partnership with Common Threads consignment shop, the show aims to educate and inspire everyone about the benefits of recycling and reusing. “Every part of every ensemble must be made from trash,” says Tanja Leonard, who’s served as the executive director for almost a decade. This year, a kaleidoscope of color filled the auditorium as students walked the runway with their looks, each outfit an impressive lesson in functionality, innovation, construction and design. In the days leading up to the show, Tanja shared more about Trash the Runway and its impact on the Boulder community.
Give us a glimpse into the history and process of Trash the Runway.
This is our 14th year. Middle and high school students complete an application, and after they’re accepted, they attend six weeks of workshops. [Mentors and staff] are there to help them with fit or if they have trouble with construction. But otherwise, it’s all the kids.
What guidelines must they follow?
They can’t use anything that can be composted according to the city of Boulder. Nothing that would go into the recycling bin. Materials must be things that would end up in a landfill. Students cannot use regular buttons, zippers, Velcro — they have to make those themselves.
Describe their creativity.
Students will go to a restaurant or coffee shop and ask for trash, like coffee bags. Last year, one student made an outfit out of soy packets that she collected from her favorite Japanese restaurant. One found a torn tarp on the sidewalk in front of a sorority house. Oftentimes we have students who use bike tires. Those are really hard to work with.
How do students share their design inspirations with the audience?
Each one answers one of three questions: What do you want the audience to know about your garment? What is your favorite part of your look? And, what was the hardest part of this process?
What do participants receive?
All students receive bags filled with gift cards, items from local businesses and other goodies, like ColourPop Cosmetics, fabrics from Elfriede’s, and gift cards to SewBo, Jacque Michelle boutique, Common Threads and Pizzeria Alberico.
What happens to outfits after the show?
We display some at Jacque Michelle. We also display some at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, where school groups can see them before next year’s show. We also try to find opportunities for students to enter their garments, like the Colorado Art Awards.
What lessons do students learn about sustainability and the environment?
What I hear most from them is, they didn’t realize how much gets thrown away. They want to change the way things are and come up with solutions to the problems we’ve created.
Have any Trash the Runway alumni achieved further recognition?
In recent years, several have gone on to fashion school. There are three or four at Parsons School of Design in New York City now. Another is in the wallpaper design industry, and a few have attended design school.
How can others get involved with Trash the Runway as a sponsor, vendor or volunteer?
Visit our website, TrashTheRunway.com, or send us an email: trashtherunway@gmail.com.
