wearable art

If you’re in the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport between now and August 2010 you may see Nancy Judd’s Recycle Runway airport exhibit of couture fashions assembled from trash.

The intention of her trashy garments is to capture the public’s attention and inspire people to consider the environment in their daily choices. While fashion is front and center, environmental education is at the heart of Recycle Runway.

Judd, an artist and environmentalist, started Recycle Runway while working as the Recycling Coordinator for the City of Santa Fe. She recognized that art and fashion could be used to raise the environmental consciousness of the public in a fun and positive way. Companies such as Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Target have commissioned her elegant recycled fashion designs.

Convertible Trashique

This ensemble is made from car parts. The jacket, skirt and blouse are fashioned from convertible soft-tops. The “faux fur” on the jacket lapel is electrical wire. The hat is a front-end mask accented with electrical copper wire. The purse is woven out of electrical wire and metal “paper” that are wound around electrical components. This ensemble took 150 hours to create.

Glass Evening Gown

Approximately 12,000 pieces of crushed glass from the City of Albuquerque Recycling Program were individually glued to a 1930′s style evening gown made from upholstery fabric remnants and a pair of vintage shoes. 400 hours went into creating the dress and shoes.

Aluminum Drop Dress

Post-consumer aluminum cans were hand cut into teardrops and circles and hand sewn onto a 1920′s flapper dress made from an old cloth shower curtain. The Dress and shoes took 200 hours to create.

Fan Mail Dress

Colorful junk mail (catalogues, solicitations, newspaper ads) were folded into fans and sewn onto a skirt and dress sewn from scrap canvas. The vintage shoes are covered with old postage stamps. This ensemble took 200 hours to assemble.

Faux Fur Coat

Old cassette tapes are woven into the fabric of a thrift store coat; discarded videotape is used to accent the collar and cuffs. The inside is lined with an old thrift store prom dress. It took 310 hours to make this coat.

Rusty Nail Cocktail Dress

Old rusty nails are sewn and glued to a 1950′s style cocktail dress and hat made from canvas remnants. Nails also stud a vintage purse and pair of shoes. 125 hours went into making this outfit.

Recycle Runway collaborates with businesses, non-profits and governmental agencies to promote their environmental stewardship and sustainability programs.

Click here for more information about Recycle Runway.

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