ReStore Design Team Wins the 8th Annual Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show’s Coveted Trash Trophy

On Thursday January 18^th, after seven long years of giving it their all, the ReStore Design Team – led by Bend Habitat’s own Brenda Jackson (Volunteer Coordinator) – won the Business Challenge with their design “Chain Chain Chain”.  Over the last 8 years the ReStore has been a title sponsor and participant business for the “Trash Fashion” fundraiser for REALMS middle school’s arts program.   This high energy runway show features unexpected and inspiringly beautiful garments created from an endless variety of waste materials, by professional and amateur designers from middle school age and up.  ReStore’s winning piece was a mash-up of materials from the ReStore that were headed to the landfill including salvaged leather from a torn chair, used circular saw blades, misc. chain and a variety of washers.  The idea for the outfit was hatched during last year’s “Furniture Flip” (ReStore’s annual re-use event). Contemplating the two saw blade awards sitting side-by-side on a shelf that designer David Graham had won for his welded school bus wheel fire pit, Brenda envisioned a coconut-esqe saw blade bra. From there, leather and chain seemed like the obvious materials to incorporate.  Marianne Fellner was recruited as leather seamstress, and welder David transformed the saw blades into bra and bracelet.  Brenda assembled the dress and shoes, and DeeDee Johnson (Bend Habitat’s Family Services Director) designed and assembled a head piece, earrings and leather bracelet, and modeled the winning number.  “From torn chair, chain and hardware to kinky, slinky and ready-to-wear.  This get-up of supple reclaimed furniture leather embellished with used circular saw blades and chain is soft on the skin but has the traction to get your evening  going in the right direction.”