High fashion meets recycling at Festival of Arts

Forget high fashion. Reused and recycled couture were the talk of the town Saturday at the Festival of Arts’ fourth annual fashion show.

Twelve artists created dramatic fashions out of cardboard, newspaper, old pot scrubbers, CDs, music tape — just about any recyclable item. Festivalgoers were stunned with the finished creations and were often heard murmuring “wow” and “oh” throughout the show.

There was the “Light Bulb Moment” design, which was made from “corrugated cardboard found in a local dumpster at midnight,” according to the artist, Dagmar Chaplin.

Marilyn Monroe and Frida Kahlo made surprise appearances on the catwalk. Jewelry artist John Tolle replicated Monroe’s famous white halter neck dress out recycled white shopping bags and an old sheet. Meanwhile, a tribute to Frida included more than 1,000 corn husks dipped in gold as the skirt and a shawl made from shipping packaging.

— Alisha Gomez

Twitter: @alishagomezberm