Inverness student from Millburn Academy is dressed to impress in global fashion competition Junk Kouture with recycled creation made from old silage bags, sheep’s wool and old copper electrical wire
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A creative Inverness teenager is hoping to make her mark in a global fashion competition with her couture outfit made from old silage bags and sheep’s wool.
Elissa Hunter-Dorans, a fifth-year pupil at the city’s Millburn Academy, has entered her extravagant and thought-provoking design in Junk Kouture, a global platform whose mission is to unleash the creative brilliance of young people.
It is running a digital competition challenging emerging designers, engineers, artists and performers to envision, create and model high-end couture from everyday junk.
Elissa (17) linked up with Farm Ness, at Dunain Mains Farm, to source materials for her creation, Distant Dreams, which focuses on young people dreaming of a better world to live in without global warming.
Old internet copper electrical wire was also donated by Abriachan Forest Trust for the outfit’s headpiece and star details.
Elissa, who worked on her entry in the school’s art department and at home during the Easter holidays, felt especially during a year of lockdown that her generation was doing a lot of dreaming and she wanted to reflect that in her design.
“I decided to enter Junk Kouture because I love what the organisation stands for – creatively recycling waste materials into wearable art,” she said.
“Living in the Highlands, farms and farmyard waste are almost inescapable, so this inspired me to create my own use for used farm materials including silage bags and electrical wire, to try to reduce my local area’s carbon footprint.
“I love fashion and to be able to make an extravagant outfit while seeing other young people’s creativity made me feel excited for the future of art and design, as well as the future of our planet.”
She is now hoping people will vote for her design via the junkkouture.com website to get her to the next stage in the competition.
Art teacher Katie Barr said Elissa had used various craftsmanship skills including needle felting, cordage, wire manipulation and macramé to create the outfit, while also studying for her Higher and Advanced Higher assessments.
