Making its Monaco debut, the recent Junk Kouture event at the Grimaldi Forum dazzled with a fusion of global talent and sustainability, and put a spotlight on a collective creative journey towards an eco-friendlier fashion future.
Founded by Troy Armour, the first Monaco-based Junk Kouture competition was held on 22nd February.
It was an international showcase of creativity and dedication to environmental sustainability that was judged by an eclectic panel featuring the likes of fashion designer Stephen McLaughlin, content creator and model Lise Pierron, and Junk Kouture 2019 winner Lara-Jane Doherty. Hosting duties were managed by TV and radio presenter Louise Cantillon and TG4’s Daragh Ó Caoimh.
Event highlights
It was the official World Final of the Junk Kouture concept and championed innovative talents from across the globe. Six designers were honoured as the ‘Designer of the Year’ for their respective countries: Bubblefish from Paris, Medias Jiometri from London, Mother of Poison from New York, Bloody Mary from Milan, War of Woman from Abu Dhabi, and Dublin’s own #TagMe.
The Irish entry – ‘#TagMe’ by Eva Donlon, Evie Nugent and Méabh O’Shea from Moate Community School – won the ‘World Designer of the Year’ title. Their design, made from over 2,500 repurposed plastic colour samples to limit landfill waste, perfectly captured the competition’s focus on sustainability and creative reuse. Upon receiving the award, Donlon said, “Everyone who partook in the creation of this piece is a winner tonight.”
Representing the French Riviera, Vega Beroud of the International School of Nice, presented an eco-conscious design called From Coastline to Waistline that was inspired by the beaches of the south of France and was constructed from recycled materials.
Beroud shared her motivation for the collection, saying, “Our goal was to capture the essence of the south of France, bringing its sunshine and coastlines into the competition”.
Her design won the ‘Performance Award’ that had been backed by the Kate Powers Foundation.
A special mention goes to Tonnes of Tradition by Aisha Khan, Khadija Bibi and Harjass Kau of Coláiste Nano Nagle, Limerick, which won the ‘Cultural Couture Award’ that had been judged by the International School of Monaco. Their garment blended European and Asian influences, and was crafted from upcycled materials such as eco-friendly wool and curtains, as well as featuring 400 hand-sewn triangles on recycled bed sheets. It was hailed as a piece demonstrating a rich cultural tapestry.
See more in our Instagram reel below…
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Left to right: Bloody Mary, Bubblefish, #TagMe, Mother of Poison, Medias Jiometri, War of Woman. Photo by Monaco Life