The Winnipeg Fashion Show aimed to spread awareness about children’s struggles and resilience in Manitoba’s foster care system, and clothing made from garbage bags shined with pride as the clothes were on display.
The model showed off his creative looks designed by young foster parents and people aging from the system as he ran down the runway on Friday night for a garbage bag fashion show at the Graffiti Gallery on Higgins Avenue.
Among the models were three state Cabinet ministers: Nahanni Fontaine (family), Uzoma Asagwara (health) and Bernadette Smith (residence) and Virgin Radio’s host Ace Burpee.
Costume material – garbage bags – was chosen to represent the way care children often move their belongings into garbage bags when they transition from one foster home to another.
“We wanted to change the story,” said Aerynn Meagher, manager of Voices, Manitoba Youth Care Advocacy Group, one of the organizations behind the event. “Let’s make something tragic in something beautiful.”
Housing Minister Bernadette Smith will pos on the runway during a fashion show. She thanked the designer and talked about her own experiences as a foster parent, which made her emotional. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)
In collaboration with Graffiti Art Programming Inc., the show was intended to help Manitvan understand the problems of children with the face of care, Meagher said ahead of Friday’s event.
“The kids that care for them are not trash,” she said. “We want to drive some change.”
Taylor Sokoloski was one of nine designers involved in the show. Her runway design – dresses decorated with flowers in the front and shawl dresses made from all plastic bags were all inspired by dresses she received from her foster parents 6-7 years ago.
“It was the first thing that foster parents ever bought for me,” Sokorosky told host Mercy Marcasa in an interview with CBC. Information Radio. “Just receiving it makes me feel really good, [I] I felt I wanted it. ”
Listen | Convert garbage bags into fashion and support children in care:
Like many other children in care, Sokoroski used plastic bags to carry her belongings when she moved to a new home.
“At first, when I moved around in a garbage bag, I always felt like garbage.
However, designing her clothes for a fashion show changed the meaning of garbage bags for her despite some challenges when using plastic materials.
“It feels like a garbage bag… they’re not just for garbage.”
Sokoloski said he could barely sleep the night before the event.
“Who are you wearing?”
On Friday evening, dozens of people poured into the gallery, taking snapshots of models, designers and clothing.
Voice and Gallery spokesman began the show saying that 400 packages had already been donated.
Smith, who first walked the runway, wore a floor-length dress. The Housing Minister met cheers from the crowd, thanking the designer and talking about her own experiences as a foster parent became emotional.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara showed off her outfits that are visible under the black light, featuring signs of peace and the phrase “peace on earth.” (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)
The Burpee was equipped with a pair of drawstring shorts with his name written on the back, and a vest featuring a voice logo.
The radio host was followed by Asagwara. Asagwara wore a jacket featuring neon orange flowers on the front and signs of peace on the back. It was paired with a skirt with a message on the back that can be read under the black light to read “Peace on Earth.”
Fontaine has broken through the runway to song Material Girl By Madonna. Her clothes were knee-length dresses with pointed sleeves gang outside near the shoulders. The dress had a long way to go with the phrase “We’re not trash” on its back.
The designer joined Fontaine on stage and asked, “Who are you wearing?” The audience portrayed a heartfelt laughter as the family minister pointed to the designer.
Minister Nahanni Fontaine modeled the knee-length dress. “If we can share something with our future [children] Those who care for them know that they are loved,” she told the audience. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)
Fontaine told the crowd that she was also a child who cared for them.
“If we could share something with our future [children] Those who care for them are to know that they are loved and that there are adults who love them,” she said.
