A rubbish achievement!

Two local schools make it through to Junk Kouture World Finals

This year, local talent really shone through: Both Bailieborough Community School and Cnoc Mhuire Granard are sending Junk Kouture finalists to the World Championship of the fashion competition that challenges schools to design, upcycle and create high-end sustainable fashion from recycled junk.

Reaching the national final in The Helix Dublin is already a massive achievement. After five years in a row making it to national level, Bailieborough students were finally hoping for their big break. “But when the judges called the Donegal school, I thought that was it,” Róisín Donnelly says.

Of the 69 regional finalists who made it here, only a dozen were going to be picked. Traditionally, only one school from the northern region is chosen – in an attempt to balance out the bigger competition for other regions. However, the judges didn’t stop at Donegal. In fact, they picked two more designs from this region such was the quality of entries: The emerald green ‘Tír Gan Teanga, Tír Gan Anam’ from Bailieborough and a steam punk inspired look ‘Alternative Route’ from Cnoc Mhuire students in Granard, Co Longford.

The three Bailieborough TY students - Emma Reynolds, Róisín Donnelly and Eve O’Malley - explained how they bonded over arts and design. The school’s many successful Junk Kouture designs inspired them from the very first year. An early eager attempt created from Apple beads in second year failed badly, Eve says laughing: “It was so bad.” But it taught them a valuable lesson: “Keep focused and work hard.”

For months the girls were collecting materials and bouncing design ideas off their arts teacher Eileen Mooney who they praise for supporting them wholeheartedly.

Transferring the Irish proverb “a country without a language is a country without soul” to the Junk Kouture motto of preserving and being mindful of our environment, the students created an emerald green warrior goddess look brimming with Celtic symbolism and references.

Cut-up old curtains, tassles and frill combined with multiple techniques of fabric making. “My nan and I embroidered the cloak,” says Eve; while Emma is proud to have mastered wood burning – creating an intricate depiction of the salmon of knowledge on two hurley heads, which now form the corsage of the dress.

With joy, the three think back of their dog grooming experience as part of the TY course.

“It came in handy when we needed to trim the wolf’s head,” Eve says pointing at the wolf’s head they made from an old coat and paper mâché as a head piece.

The judges in Dublin were particularly impressed by their meticulous research, even visiting artist Jim Fitzpatrick known for his Celtic art – and Thin Lizzy album covers. “We hugely drew our inspiration from his women goddesses,” says Róisín. “He suggested to exaggerate more.” A tip they gladly took on board for the piece and “blinged it up”.

They included more frill and a sparkling Tara brooch. Welcome elements that one of judges noticed straight away.

Referencing the Irish language and culture was important to them as the girls are acutely aware that they need to be nurtured and tended to just like the environment. The wolf was once such a powerful animal in mythology, now extinct in Ireland. Intertwining heritage with environmental impact is a powerful statement that will lead to meaningful discussion on the World Junk Kouture stage, they hope. Judges not only look at fabric, technique and design, but also thought process and meaning.

PUNK

Inspired by past pupils Joshua Osabuehien and Solomon Eduard, who were named World Designer of the Year at the inaugural Junk Kouture World Final in 2023, Cnoc Mhuire Granard TY students Charlie Sheridan, Adrian Portilla and Jakub Dragowski were “determined from the start” to make it to this year’s World Final.

Art teacher Charmaine Hetherton said their ambition was clear from the start. “The first thing they said to me was they wanted to do the same as Solomon and Joshua,” Charmaine recalls, adding that her students are “so meticulous” in their work.

“We’re delighted to be in a World Final again.”

Out of 69 designs in the national final, ‘Alternative Route’ performed last. This year, 12 designs got through to the world final in comparison to previous years when 10 designs were chosen. Waiting for their name to be called, Jakub, the group’s model, started to take the costume off after the first 10 designs were named.

Jakub found performing at the finals somewhat “stressful”. He performed on stage to Labrinth’s ‘Earthquake’.

“It was my first time up on stage,” he said, adding that remembering the routine was difficult and the costume itself was “a bit hard” to walk in.

Charlie, who “can’t believe” they have progressed to the world final, still can’t process their achievement, and Adrian, an exchange student from Madrid, describes it as “amazing”.

At the start of the TY year, students are asked to choose between Junk Kouture, Mini-Business and Finance. Adrian followed the crowd and ended up in the Junk Kouture class, which has “worked out well”.

He will return to school in Madrid from September but will come back for the World Final, which typically takes place in February.

Described by designer and judge Clare Garvey as a Tim Burton masterpiece, their design ‘Alternative Route’ centres around the belief that we need to change the way we live for our planet to survive, particularly in the face of the climate crisis and ongoing wars, and more communities need to come together and work together to create a better planet for us all. Their costume is based on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’.

Using black to symbolise the darkness we live in and gold to symbolise hope, the boys used tools, bolts and a tractor tyre from Charlie’s dad’s farm, as well as spokes from broken umbrellas, an old bicycle helmet, mattress springs, seatbelts, gold chains, foil from food pouches and clingfilm to create a visually striking ensemble that is “very impressive” on stage.

Out of nine designs entered by the school, three made it to the regional finals in early March; ‘Pinky Promise’, ‘Milk It’ and ‘Alternative Route’. ‘Milk It’ and ‘Alternative Route’ were two of four creations in the west region to make it to the national final on May 6.

The school has been taking part in Junk Kouture since 2011, and art teacher Charmaine encourages her students to think outside of the box when coming up with designs and materials. Originally an extracurricular activity, Junk Kouture has recently become a two-hour weekly module in the school and students also stay behind on Thursdays from 4-6pm.

In preparation for the world final, ‘Alternative Route’ will be adding some finishing touches in the coming months to “bring it to the next level”.