Miquita Oliver and Ben De Lisi
Budding designers have the chance to show off their talents for re-working recycled clothes with vinspired's new collection, Fashion Favours. The project aims to highlight the issues surrounding throwaway fashion a trend that has contributed to the 900,000 million items of clothing been thrown away each year in this country.
The pieces will be created by volunteers under the guidance of top designers Kesh, Junky Styling, Ethical Fashion Forum and TRAID and then showcased At Central Saint Martin's College in London.
The collection was curated by Ben De Lisi who will judge the best garment at the catwalk show on Monday night, which will be hosted by Miquita Oliver.
After Monday's showcase the collection and other items including celebrity donations will be sold on vinspired's online wardrobe, with all proceeds going to the HIV charity Body & Soul.
Young Designer and DJ Kesh who have recycled Ricky Hatton's Manchester City football shirt by turning it into a sexy woman's top, said: "It was great fun taking a macho baggy sports shirt and giving it a cheeky feminine makeover. Its could start a new fashion trend among the WAGs."
Young volunteers have started to create the unique collection with the help of Gordon Brown’s shirt and tie, Kate Winslet's suit, and Fearne Cotton’s skirt. Celebrities, sports stars and politicians have all been asked to ‘do a Fashion Favour’ and help support the cause by donating their customised clothes to the online wardrobe which will be auctioned off to the public for charity.
Petra Coveney from the volunteering website vinspired.com said: "Fashion Favours fever is catching on across the country as young people realise how easy it is to recycle and customise old clothes. They get to use their creativity, help the environment and raise cash for charity. It just shows that volunteering is as easy as doing a Favour."
Recycling clothes is an important issue as unwanted clothes that aren't reused are sent to landfill sites. Synthetic (man-made fibres) products do not decompose. Woollen garments do but in doing so they produce methane gas, which contributes to global warming and climate change.
If it's good enough for Ben De Lisi then recycling clothes is good enough for us. We'll be turning our boyfriend's old shirts into a new dress tonight!