Ephemeral Bloom top of the class: Limerick students ‘absolutely ecstatic’ at fashion award
STUDENTS at a Limerick secondary school have shared their joy after they received their awards from the national Junk Kouture competition.
Brenda Lim, Brianna Sheehan and Molly Jackson from Coláiste Nano Nagle on Sexton Street took home the prize for south regional winner in the competition.
Junk Kouture challenges students to create designs that incorporate elements of environmental sustainability, fashion, art, design, and engineering and materials have to be 100% recycled.
The girl’s design ‘Ephemeral Bloom’ featured on the RTE show as talented young designers made their bid for Junk Kouture glory.
The design was made from bedsheets, construction mesh, paper coasters, wire, Pearl necklaces, lace, a corset from a wedding dress, cardboard, copper, yoga mats, copper wires, flip-flops, socks, Styrofoam and newspaper.
The girls’ teacher Sarah Nestor also took home the award for Teacher of the Year at the Grand Final.
Sarah said the girls watched the final at home with their families and were 'shocked' to win the prize.
She said: “They were absolutely ecstatic, they couldn't quite believe it. They had family in Asia, China and Malaysia all watching it as well.
“There were tears! They had worked through lockdown at home so it was particularly hard on them.
“They had a great work ethic and they really ploughed on, from design to putting it all together it took about six months
“The girls wanted to make something that would show that fast fashion is so fleeting so they used the cherry blossom as the inspiration.”
Another project from the school, The New Different by Georgie Barry, Ally Griffen and Leona Purcell ,also made the Grand Final of the competition.
That design was predominantly made out of lampshades, construction wire and contact lenses and was inspired by steampunk.