Across the way on I-30, Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth is going fashionable once again. On the evening of Thursday, April 16, it will hold its 7th Annual Project Goodwill at Ridglea Country Club. But unlike the usual fashion shows, this one is a designer competition with local designers showcasing wearable garments using $100 worth of unconventional materials from local Goodwill stores. Everything from lampshades, album covers, suitcases and air filters have been reconstructed in the past for fashionable ensembles.
Last year 37-year-old schoolteacher Kate Oxley won both first place and People’s Choice with her dress “made entirely from adult diapers and deconstructed Christmas ornaments.” Now, how’s that for creativity and recycling!
According to Fort Worth Goodwill President/CEO David Cox, “This is not an outfit competition, it’s a true design competition featuring runway-ready looks. Goodwill is proud to be one of the largest recyclers in North Texas, and showcasing secondary uses for everyday household goods and clothing is just one way of emphasizing the importance of reusing and upcyling in promoting sustainability.”
This year’s competition will be judged by Project Runway Season 18 contestant and eco-luxury zero-waste designer Lela Orr; Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, photographer and fashionista Toni Estes; caftan designer and Sociologie Wine Founder Amy Hampton; Theatre Arts at Texas Wesleyan University Professor Joe Allen Brown; and design consultant Kanani Mahelona.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Moncrief-Ryan Scholarship Fund supporting initiatives focused on providing jobs and job training for the homeless, at-risk youth, veterans, the formerly incarcerated and the people with disabilities.
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to go to Fort Worth or are weary of couture fashion extravaganzas, this event is made for you! Sponsorships are available and tickets are going for $150.
* Photo provided by Goodwill Industries Of Fort Worth