Junk Kouture winners on Cannes red carpet
Having stormed the stage at 3Arena for the final of Junk Kouture earlier this month, the five regional winners jetted off to Cannes for this year’s film festival and swapped the catwalk stage for the red carpet as part of their prize.
The winning Junk Kouture models and designers, showcased their outfits in front of the world paparazzi on the same carpet graced by Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Selena Gomez and many more of the world’s biggest stars.
The breath-taking designs made entirely out of junk and recycled materials, included this year’s winning entry ‘Cinematic’ designed and modelled by Maxim O’Sullivan from Phobalscoil Chorca in Dingle (Made from VHS tapes, DVDs, film reel and old keyboards), ‘Wicked Westwood’ from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School in Buncrana (Made from lining from footballs, old blinds and chains from swings), ‘Attire’ from Moate Community School (Bicycle tubing, car tubing, materials from garages and bicycle repair shops), ‘Me Granny Got It In Guiney’s’ from Larkin Community College in Dublin (Old wedding dress, net curtains, lace tablecloth, Guiney’s shopping bags, Halloween costume, curtain lining) and ‘The Truth Lies Within’ from Scoil Chríost Rí in Portlaoise (Twines, wool, leather kitchen chair covers, lace tablecloth, metal hangers, battery lights, artificial flowers).
Reigning Miss Ireland, Aoife O’Sullivan, took to the iconic La Croisette in Cannes in an incredible Junk Kouture design by Bríd McSharry from Colaiste Colmcille in Ballyshannon. The design entitled ‘Wave Away Waste’ was inspired by the beaches near the designer’s hometown, it is made from plastic bags to highlight the damage that plastic is causing to our coastlines, especially along the Wild Atlantic Way. Aoife O’Sullivan says she is proud to wear the design of a Junk Kouture finalist “The outfit carries such an important message about how our country and planet are being affected by waste. I am absolutely delighted to wear such a beautiful outfit by a talented young designer. We could all learn a lot from how these students used their creativity to turn everyday junk into such stunning creations.”
Much to the delight of the students, the trip culminated in a helicopter ride to stunning Monte Carlo, renowned as the playground for the rich and privileged.