THE ICAG Trashion Parade strutted its stuff into Ipswich last Saturday, bursting with colour, creativity, and eco-friendly flair.
As part of Ipswich City Council’s Sustainability Month, the event celebrated the joyful art of upcycling – proving that yesterday’s cast-offs can be today’s couture.
Event organiser Robyn Whale couldn’t have been prouder.
“This is only the second year we’ve run the parade, and the number of entrants has nearly doubled!” she said.
“We wanted to show people just how easy it is to reuse and repurpose clothes instead of tossing them to landfill.
Australians discard an eyewatering 6000 kilograms of fashion waste every 10 minutes. We all need to buy less and value what we already have.”
And value it they did. Six categories – Upcycling, Wearable Art, Op-Shop, Old Favourites, Creative Kids, and Single Items & Accessories – set the stage for fierce competition and fabulous flair.
Local arts advocate and cultural icon Glen Smith said he hoped the event would continue to grow in years to come.
“This is an event that brings together art and giving an advocacy group a voice,” he said.
“The event is not only fun and a creative experience but brings awareness of environmental issues to the general public.”
Mr Smith takes part in the event and it is one that is highlighted on his calendar.
“As one of the creators and lovers of Wearable Art, this is the only fashion event in Ipswich that offers an opportunity to display my creations,” he said.
“Wearable Art is fast becoming very popular expression of creativity with major events such as WOW World of Wearable Art held in New Zealand being a worldwide watched event.
“I would love to see this event grow to something as special as WOW.”
Mr Smith had two pieces entered this year and said he enjoyed making them.
“Turning discarded items and trash into something beautiful and a work of art is so exhilarating and rewarding as an artist,” he said. “This competition encourages original storytelling and excellence in the making of the outfits.
“I’m hoping that The Trashion Parade event will become a significant cultural highlight in Ipswich.”
The crowd was treated to a spectacle of ingenuity: gowns made from garbage bags, hats spun from bottle caps, and denim reborn in ways never seen before.
In Ipswich, sustainability has never looked so good.
