A group of Limerick students have won World Designer of the Year at the finals for Junk Kouture.
Carousel Couture by Lauren O’Neill, Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnnane from Salesian Secondary College was made from hi-vis vests, bingbags, pipes, cardboard and even old toy animals.
They also took home Dublin Designer of the year at the ceremony.
Meanwhile the New York Designer of the year was Mirrorball by Leonardo Iglesias and Sophie Lorenzo-Luace which was made from over 30 thousand recycled can tabs.
Sixty design teams from around the globe arrived in Dublin for the Junk Kouture Festival of Creativity and Circularity, taking to the stage in the Helix for the Junk Kouture World Final.
The teams from Ireland, the UK, France, Italy, the USA and the UAE presented breathtaking couture designs made entirely from recycled materials, from coffee pods to bike chains and even the tarpaulin off the back of a lorry.
Selected from the 2024 - 2025 cycle of Junk Kouture, the designs were evaluated by a prestigious judging panel of experts in sustainability, fashion, education, and entertainment.
Making up the panel was Cory Infinite, a creative director and multidisciplinary artist, Irish designer Claire Garvey; and Dublin-based visual artist and stylist Zeda.
Fionnuala Moran of RTÉ 2FM was on presenting duties.
Celebrating 16 years in Ireland this year, the Junk Kouture final taking place here in Dublin showcases Ireland’s pivotal role in promoting youth creativity and circular innovation.
