The models that weren’t lining up for their walks downstairs wandered through the theater aisles, greeting family and friends.
Their faces, freshly made up, glowed under the dim lights of the theater as they held tightly to their carefully stitched and glued costumes.
Jessica McClellan, who was participating in the show for the fifth time as a model, said the community built around the show is a lasting and intimate one.
“We’ve seen kids who were models five years ago stay with the show,” McClellan said. “Their parents and their friends and their family have become involved because they’ve stayed with the show.”
McClellan, who has also been a designer in the show a couple of times, said each year provides opportunities for future inspiration because of the diverse points of view onstage each year.
“People have learned by doing it because we all get ideas from each other,” McClellan said. “We all see things we’ve never thought of and it gives us new ideas for the next year. Even though it’s a lot of work and sometimes kind of stressful, it keeps us coming back.”
Alongside the adults, children of all ages and from different parts of the state came out to model the repurposed designs.
Lauren Woods, 14, came from Mitchell, Ind., to model in the show for Sheila Ferguson, known as designer “Jealousy Jane.” Woods said she met Jealousy Jane at a trashion expo in Bedford, Ind., and has enjoyed working with her through practices.
“I hope I get to do this next year,” Woods said. “I’m just excited to see where this takes me.”
Ferguson’s design used mainly recycled paper; the lace-like bodice was old shipping packaging, the skirt was comprised of rounded out paper bags and the flowers lining the back portion were rolled up pages of books.
Half an hour to show time, Co-Producer Tara Jones came out to tell models it was time to go to their respective seats and hide their outfits because general seating was about to start.
Before the event, representatives of the Center for Sustainable Living of Bloomington came by to explain CSL’s mission and goals.
One came dressed as a fairy made from reusable bags, the other as a monster made from nonreusable plastic grocery bags. Together they spoke on behalf of CSL, a large supporter of “Trashion Refashion.”
The runway show began with the refashion portion, with over 30 designers showing looks made from redesigned old clothing.
Designer Liby Ball made two of her looks from 1980s wedding dresses. Ball even added a reworked train onto one of the two gowns.
Not all the refashion works were solely fabric. The design of Carol Hedin, titled “Party Fowl,” was a peacock-inspired look with a calf-length train. Hedin created faux peacock feathers out of blue and green tissue paper.
After the refashion portion ended, Yael Ksander, a previous emcee for the event, came onstage.
Ksander and the event’s planners got together for a tribute to longtime set designer Gail Hale, who designed this year’s stage fully using recycled materials, and “Trashion Refashion” creator Jeanne Leimkuhler.
Leimkuhler, according to Ksander, will be leaving Bloomington soon. Ksander took a moment to reflect on their first show together six years ago as she bid farewell to her friend and collaborator.
“Your perseverance paid off,” Ksander said. “It was glamorous and fabulous. It’s only gotten better each year.”
Following the tribute, Jaqui Bauer, under the persona “Lolo Electra,” came onstage to inform the audience that Monroe County is a finalist in a major energy challenge, the award for which is $5 million.
“Everyone is a part of the competition,” Bauer said. “Turn off your light. Turn down your heat. Turn up ?your AC.”
After an intermission, there was a live performance by Art-A-Peel, an acting duo made up of Victor Victoria and Regina Sweet. The performers wore trashion looks and used repurposed material throughout their short bit.
Then, the trashion portion began. The over-20 looks in this part of the show included material ranging from the expected table cloth and drapes to the unexpected: lampshades, VHS tape film and Capri Sun juice packs, among others.
Betty Davis used a burlap sack she saw wrapped around a maple tree to create her short tube dress with ruffles.
After all the trashion looks walked the runway, Master of Ceremonies Sarah Smith-Robbins informed the audience that the Jefferson Street Parade Band, the evening’s musical finale, would be out shortly to play them “to the after-party.”
McClellan said for attendees who did not see something they liked this year to come back next time for a completely different ?experience.
“It’s changed a lot over the years,” McClellan said. “Every year is different. Even if they didn’t see something they liked one year, they should always come back the next year because it’s always something amazing.”
