All eyes were on RTÉ2 on Thursday, December 9th to cheer on OLB’s two Junk Kouture Grand Finalists 2021. Months of planning, gathering, and designing were showcased in the televised event.
Londiwe Ndlovu and Ligia Afedoaei claimed the Best Performance Award. Their dress was formed into several shapes and used a number of interesting design techniques honouring the world’s famous fashion icons from the past to the present. It was inspired by Henri Matisse’ collage “The Snail” and Iris Van Herpen 2020 summer collection and her use of optical illusion. The girls’ piece consisted of plastic packaging materials which created a glamourous sleek design, giving a symmetrical vibe.
Shauna Jameson and Sarah Skelly from team V.I.Pea won the Finishing Touches Award. In 2020, the world of consumerism changed. Many people started to become self-sufficient due to the fear of going to shops and mixing with others. Many people tried their hand at living “The Good Life” by growing their own food instead of buying. The girls decided to show this in their dress design by using natural materials in the form of peas pods and onion bags. The pea pods were used to create the bodice and headpiece with the red onion bags crocheted to create the skirt. There was wonderfully intricate detail throughout and their eye for detail certainly caught the judges’ attention.
Congratulations to both teams on their success and thank you to Art teacher, Mrs Oonagh Kelly for her constant guidance and support. This is a wonderful competition that allows our girls’ skills and talents to be developed and celebrated.