THE University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) hosted a unique fashion show as part of a cocktail evening themed ‘Waste to Art’, at the KZNSA Art Gallery recently.
One does not normally associate engineers with high fashion, but such was the case as sassy young UKZN engineering students sashayed down the catwalk. They were dressed in the most stylish and eco-friendly designs created out of recycled materials by final-year Durban University of Technology (DUT) fashion design colleagues.
To the rustle of plastic bags and the swish of hessian, the enthusiastic young models demonstrated just how stylish “trash” can be.
‘Waste to Art as a Means of Social Upliftment’ is the brainchild of Professor Cristina Trois, newly appointed South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Waste and Climate Change at UKZN.
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Trois is passionate about the necessity of innovative waste management to mitigate against climate change and ensure a sustainable future for the planet. “The event provided the opportunity to showcase local design talent and creative ideas to turn waste into a means of income generation, as well as providing a networking platform for the many role players in the waste and climate change, and local and foreign government sectors” said Trois.
Other highlights of the evening included, a display of fashionable gowns made out of recycled materials by Grade 10 Maris Stella pupils who were inspired by the Vodacom Durban July 2018 theme “It is Time”, Angela Shaw of the KZNSA Art Gallery elaborating on the waste-inspired artwork made by local designers on show in the gallery, and Robin Opperman of the trendsetting Umcebo design house presenting a stunning mural of black manta rays made from plastic, bottles and wire.
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