Sustainable fashion will be in the spotlight at the inaugural Scenic Rim Sustainable Fashion Designer Showcase at The Centre, Beaudesert on April 18.
Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) is presenting the Fashion Revolution Week event to encourage the Scenic Rim community to consider the impacts, ethics, and benefits of slow vs fast fashion.
It will focus on the value of mending and repurposing over throwing garments away to landfill, and the wellbeing and mental health benefits of stitching, designing, and creating.
The showcase will incorporate an Upcycle Op Shop Challenge, open to individuals of all ages and experiences, with entries closing March 25.
Sustainable fashion industry professionals will judge the challenge across the categories of Active and Healthy Scenic Rim, Farm Gate Trails and Picnics, High Teas & Long Lunches, Show Ball Glitz and Glamour, and Scenic Rim Student Creatives.
Prize money is up for grabs through donations from the Beaudesert and District Community Arts Project Inc and the Boonah and District Cultural Foundation.
Winners will receive $250 for first place, $100 for second place, and an additional $500 for the most creative outfit chosen from the five category winners.
BOSS President Erica Bates, herself a sustainable fashion designer, said the showcase, including the upcycle challenge, was for established and emerging designers alike.
“The Designer Showcase will feature collections by Scenic Rim fashion designers to highlight sustainable locally made fashion from the region and will also include an Upcycle Op Shop Challenge open to individuals of all ages and experience,” she said.
“The Upcycle Op Shop Challenge offers five categories with one of these being a dedicated category for students only, although students are most welcome to enter other categories as well if they choose.
“Categories have been created to reflect lifestyles and living in the Scenic Rim and to offer a broad variety of options to inspire clothing that could be worn by visitors and locals alike attending some of our much-loved annual events and activities. All are non-gender specific, or age group limited. We welcome diversity.”
The upcycle challenge will be in the morning, followed by the sustainable fashion designer showcase after lunch, when nine Scenic Rim based slow fashion designers will join forces for the first time to show capsule collections of their unique creations.
Trade stalls and designer displays, as well as hands-on slow stitching activities will fill out a full day of sustainable fashion inspiration, networking and learning.
Tickets are $25 including morning tea and a light lunch.
For more information, including how to enter the upcycle challenge or purchase tickets to the showcase, visit www.boonahboss.blogspot.com email boonahboss@hotmail.com or contact Erica on 0417 720 352 or BOSS secretary Julie Jackson on 0435 992 798.
