Designer: Anika Rychner          
Models: Bergen Rychner & Aubree Crimmins 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? I bought a 14-foot above-ground pool for our family in 2020 when public pools were closed and we needed something fun. It worked well for several years, but my kids outgrew it, it requires a lot of maintenance, and we haven’t installed it in the last two years. It’s been sitting in the basement and I had to throw it away or give it a creative twist. 

What materials did you use and where did they come from?  

The plastic liner from our above-ground pool makes up the majority of the materials. The decorative flowers and accessories were created with deflated plastic floaties and inner tubes.

About the Artist: I live in Northfield with my kids, Emmett (15) and Bergen (13). I am the Senior Director at CAC and have been fortunate to serve on the Runway Revival committee since its inception. Bergen and Aubree (models) are 7th graders at Northfield Middle School. This is my second year as a runway designer.

Is there a specific environmental issue that relates to your article? Sales of above-ground pools increased in 2020 when public pools were closed, a reminder of how consumer habits change in response to global events (and how quickly waste accumulates). 

Designer: Pam Santerre
Model: Cora and Lucy Santerre

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? Inspired by rain showers.

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? We used plastic foam and cardboard packing material from sofa delivered in March. 

About the Artist:  I am retired and living in Northfield. The girls will be entering middle school this fall.  We are all artists but these designs are our first ones.Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  It was packing materials from our new couch that the delivery people were gonna put in the landfill. 

 Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? Throwing these materials add significant bulk and plastic to landfill and each piece would last 5,000 years or more. 

Designer: Sarah Aylward
Model: Evelyn Rose Aylward 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  Each year, we consume about 144 burlap bags or more by roasting our own coffee. We work hard to repurpose them at BlueNose Coffee. In the summer, we use them as flower pot liners, holding the soil and aiding in drainage for our flowers on our patio. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The dress, bag, and flowers are all empty coffee burlap bags that once contained 130 – 106 pounds worth of green coffee beans. All bags are originally from BlueNose Coffee, located in Farmington, MN

About the Artist:   I live in Northfield and am the co-owner of BlueNose Coffee in Farmington, MN. We’ve been using the burlap bags as flower pot liners for as long as we’ve been in business, which is 9 years. This is our first year of exploring burlap, creating bags, flowers, and the burlap bloom dress. 

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?   Sewing burlap bags has inspired us at BlueNose Coffee to start selling them this fall and winter. They make for great, strong, and durable bags. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? Burlap is biodegradable, it takes 7-12 months to decompose. It is estimated that over a million of these bags are produced each
year. 

Designer: Lynda Pavek
Model: Lynda Pavek 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? I found the bedspread and some free yellow elastic, so that became my color theme. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? Jeans that could not be mended anymore, a bedspread from a thrift shop and a tablecloth. 

About the Artist:  I am from Dundas, home to many artists. I work at Just Food Coop and the Art Department at the University of Minnesota. I love creating!

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? The elastic was from packaging and once removed I could recycle the paper that it was on. A stained table cloth can be recycled when cut into something else. 

Designer: LuElla Wills
Model: LuElla Wills 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  I did project for school last year about Fashion which included learning about the impact it has onthe environment. I was also inspired by the sea and the waves. And all the trash that’s gets put into sea. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The top is made out of fabric scraps. The waist of the skirt is made out of a pair of old jean shorts that didn’t fit me anymore. The base of the top skirt (layers 1 and 3) is made from hamburger bun packages. Layer 2 is made from an old bridesmaid dress. And the under skirt is made out of the lining from a different bridesmaid dress. I found the shoes at a garage sale.  

About the Artist:   I am from Northfield. I enjoy school, babysitting, and working at my familiy’s farm. This is my first time at Runway Revival.  

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?   When i was working my design changed from the original drawing. The two bridesmaid dresses I used were from my mom. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? Plastic has been found in 59% of sea birds like albatross and pelicans, in 100% of sea turtle species, and more than 25% of fish sampled from seafood markets around the world. Credits: oceanconservancy.org. Fast fashion manufacturers often overproduce items. Because their products are made so cheaply, it’s not a huge loss to simply throw away whatever doesn’t sell. Much of these items will end up in a clothing landfill in  Atacama Desert in northern Chile. This clothing junkyard spans nearly 3 square kilometers (1.2 square miles)—about the size of 580 football fields.- Scholastic Science World 2023

Designers: Katrina Bennett and Jessie Skobrak
Model: Johny 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? Medicated Armor was inspired by the way society tries to control and contain childhood energy, especially for kids who don’t fit the neat, quiet mold. The armor is built from the same objects meant to ‘fix’ or ‘calm’ a child: prescription bottles. By turning them into something protective and defiant, it flips the narrative.
The lace flowers represent the beauty and individuality that still grows through that control, delicate but persistent. The black and gold palette brings a mix of darkness and triumph, showing that rebellion can be beautiful. The design had to move, Johny’s a skater, so every piece is built for speed, for turn, for action. It’s not just art you stand in, it’s art you fight in, play in, live in. It’s chaotic, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s loud, because so is the conversation about medicating childhood. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The pill bottles were collected from sisters medications over the last 6 months. The flowers were spray painted. The flowers and the vest were thrifted. The EVA foam was from last Halloween. 

About the Artist:   Katrina is a Strategy & Vibe Management Engineer from Savage. Jessie is a Chief Outreach & Empowerment Officer from Northfield. They have been doing this type of art for decades.  

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  The model was bribed to be here. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? Most prescription bottles outlive the kid who took the pills inside. They almost never get recycled, most cities won’t even accept them. So they sit in landfills for centuries, bright orange against the dirt, long after the diagnosis has faded, the meds have changed, and the child has grown up. The bottle remains, just like the label society
put on them. 

Designer: Jacqueline Pavek
Model: Jacqueline Pavek 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  The garden theme – although my garden is mostly native flowers, produce is a part of many gardens as well. Also plastic waste, vintage silhouettes, and Carmen Miranda!  

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? I challenged myself to use a lot of plastic food packaging. It was primarily commercial produce and pastry packaging, as well as some thrifted materials. 

About the Artist:   I am a baker from Cannon Falls. I participated in last year’s Runway Revival and have made other upcycled clothing and accessories from time to time over the years.Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  I fused together plastic bags to make “fabric.”

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? Food packaging accounts for a huge amount of waste. It ends up in our water systems, changes the way other creatures live in their natural environments, and creates microplastics that pollute everything and everyone.

Designers: Dottie Hammer, Mary Loven
Models: Catherine Engle, Estella Engle 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? What do you do when Target generously donates 20 boxes of children’s curtain valances and clothes hamper liners to your church’s quilting project, and most of it can’t be used for quilts? You get creative and think bright, sunny summer dresses. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The fabrics we used were new but had been discarded for their intended use. The valances were covered with appliqués of an owl’s nest and buzzing bees, and the hamper liners where made of plastic mesh, neither conducive to quilt making. The zipper was re-gifted and the hats came from CAC’s own Clothes Closet. Only the thread was new.  

About the Artist:   Our real jobs were in human services but we both are fabric artists by hobby. This is our first entry into Runway Revival, but we both have a long history of reusing fabrics in creative ways as part of our commitment to sustainable practices.

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?   When we looked at the abundance of fabric we were gifted, it looked like there would be enough for many, many dresses. In reality, the curtain strips were so narrow it took careful pattern making and over 20 valances to make both dresses. It was was equally difficult to turn the basket shaped hamper mesh into an adult’s jacket. However, while you can’t see any mesh fabric on the outside of the girl’s dress, it was the perfect fabric to use for the crinoline holding her rows of ruffles.  

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? On average it takes a little more than half a pound of petroleum to produce one pound of nylon. Catherine’s jacket and Estella’s crinoline consumed almost a pound of petroleum to make. Regarding the curtain fabric, some of it was made into quilts which will be distributed around the world, and by making these dresses, we kept part of it out of the landfill.

Designer: Jess Toft
Models: Brynlee and  Charlotte 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  My primary inspiration came directly from the philosophy of my “Sustainable Creations” community education class. The core
mission of the class is to take items that are often seen as worthless—things that would be discarded or undervalued—and transform them into something new and beautiful. The opportunity to work with a generous donation of old Northfield newspapers was the perfect canvas for this idea. I was inspired by the chance to give these local stories and headlines a new life, turning something meant for the recycling bin into a piece of art that tells a new story about sustainability and creative potential. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The primary material for these pieces is Northfield newspapers, which were generously donated. The other key materials are also a
reflection of resourcefulness: ground covering fabric and garden netting, which were unused extras from another project. By incorporating these unconventional and often overlooked items, I was able to give them new purpose and create a unique garment that aligns with the sustainable philosophy of my class. 

About the Artist:   I am an Educational Assistant in Special Education at Bridgewater Elementary
School in Northfield, and my passion for helping others also extends to my role as a Commissioner on Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  A fun and unexpected detail of this piece is a direct nod to my inspiration. The top part of the dress is constructed from garden netting, which is typically used to keep birds away from berries. While I was making it, I couldn’t help but picture how the birds would have pulled at the delicate “wiring” of the netting, just like Cinderella’s animal friends did when they were helping to create her beautiful gown from scraps. It’s a detail that connects the practicality of the material with a bit of whimsical fantasy. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? These pieces directly addresses two key areas of environmental concern related to its materials. To produce each week’s
Sunday newspapers, it is estimated that 500,000 trees must be cut down. Furthermore, the plastic netting and ground fabric I used do not biodegrade; they break down into microplastics  that can contaminate our soil and waterways. My piece serves as a visual statement on the importance of  re-thinking our waste, from paper to plastics, to combat these issues. Jess: Northfield Echoes  Brynlee: Community Pages Charlotte’s: The Spun Narrative the Human Rights Commission for Northfield. In addition to my artistic practice, I am also developing a project called Bully Buddy, an initiative
designed to help individuals in their professional and personal lives by providing tools and advice to navigate challenging communication and reframe difficult conversations constructively. The heart of my work, whether it’s in the classroom, in my art, or on the commission, is about building a more supportive community. I began my journey into upcycled design last year for the Runway Revival, creating two dresses for my daughters to wear. 

Designer: Natalie Draper
Model: Natalie Draper 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  I collect, cherish, and recycle vintage handmade linens–those quilts, embroidered tablecloths, and other soft items that make a home feel cozy. They preserve a secret history of hands, often anonymous women’s hands, and I think giving them a second life as garments that are worn outside the home celebrates those makers. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? This look is made from two unfinished quilt tops and a hand embroidered tablecloth I found in a secondhand shop in Paducah, Kentucky.

About the Artist:   I live in Northfield and I am a librarian. I sew for pleasure in my spare time. I have been sewing since I was 5 and repurposing and refashioning textiles into clothing since I was a teenager. Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?   When I work with vintage textiles I feel connected to generations of anonymous women who used and re-used every thread to clothe and comfort their families. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? The world produces 92 million tons of textile waste every year; old clothes, towels, sheets, curtains, tablecloths, and other cloth items. Only 12% of textiles are recycled globally. 

Designer: Paula Person
Model: Susan and Tiah 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? I was inspired by all the music that is written about gardens, rain and letting our gardens grow. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? I’ve collected vintage sheet music for 20 yrs.  I’ve designed upcycled handbags from it and this is some of the leftover sheet music. 

About the Artist:   I live in Faribault. I’m a designer of clothing and accessories, known as Pauz Apparel & Accessories.  One of my products is call NOTEBAGZ. I have been creating upcycled items for 25 years. Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  Using some of the titles, here is a little story called “A GARDEN  OF SONGS”…In a quiet village, there bloomed a magical place known as the “Garden of Orange Blossoms”. There were no gates, because the gardener believed in the truth: “The Best Things in Life Are Free.” Each spring, “Mayflowers” painted the paths, and mornings were filled with “Heavenly Music”—birds singing and leaves rustling softly. Some days, the sky would darken and wonder aloud, “Was It Rain?” Moments later, soft drops would fall like a lullaby. But the sun always returned, “Sweepin’ the Clouds Away”, and the flowers stretched. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? My company has keep 1000s of pieces of paper from our landfills. wide in joy. The garden was wild and open, just like the sign said: “Don’t Fence Me In.” Even in winter, memories lingered like “Roses in December”, soft and beautiful. Rain tapping on petals made a gentle “Pitter Patter”, as if the garden was dreaming too.
One afternoon, a “Lovely Lady” sat beneath a tree, eyes closed, smiling. A child asked what she was doing. She whispered, “Singing in the Rain.” And for a moment, the whole garden sang
with her. 

Designer: Annie Humphrey
Model: Geezis Humphrey 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? I am inspired by preparedness, movement, Earth knowledge and power.  This piece, at first glance is feminine, but as the model moves and demonstrates the function of the tools they carry on their belt they become no gender, or all genders. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? This piece is made from a cast off dress.  The denim fringe is made from thrifted jeans.  The leather belt is thrifted as well.  The super cropped garment is made from a thrifted coat.  The corsette style cince is constructed from a thrifted jacket.  The tools were donated. 

About the Artist: I live on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. I am a visual artist, a singer/songwriter, a dress maker, and tattoo artist. I have been deconstructing, redesigning and reconstructing thrift clothing since I was young.  My mom used to do it.  She inserted colorful triangle pieces into the bottoms of her jeans so that, when she walked, the color would flash into the open with each step…cool bell bottoms in the 60’s.Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?   This piece and all accessories could actually be worn in the woods, on the move and the tools will allow the wearer to cut wood, shave fatwood and strike a fire. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to you piece? This dress and its layers are made from 100% thrifted clothing.  An estimated 11.3 million tons of textiles end up in landfill annually in the U.S. alone.  The tools that are used in this piece were forged in the Ukraine then gifted to me.

Designer: Teri Knight
Model: Teri Knight 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? I am an avid gardener (former Master Gardener), produced Garden Bite with Teri Knight for 17 years on 30 radio stations, Hosted and produced a season on The CW called “Dig In Minnesota”. A bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae) releases Seratonin into the brain through touch and inhaling it. Very basically seratonin makes us happy! 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? A used coco coir hanging basket is the “skirt”, used bags of soil is the top, the “roots” are made from old string and the “necklace” will be some dried herbs or something (not sure yet) I will also be carrying an old bucket with squash growing in it. (No, there won’t be squash but I’m hoping for the flowers) under all of it will just be black leggings and black racer back shirt. A pair of old tennis shoes all made from recycled material in a floral design for shoes. 

About the Artist:  I am the Content Manager for social media and Lead Writer of garden articles at Gertens Garden Center. This is my first time and I had a lot of help with the top from Corliss Swain
who is also in the Runway Revival!Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  I think me trying to get into the coco coir basket was/is pretty hilarious! There’s a lot of contortions
made! 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? All of our food is dependent on healthy soil – Nurture it – as the soil bags on my outfit say. 

Designers: Jenny Jones and Danielle Dekalb
Model: Elouise Jones 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  This dress is a mirror held up to our planet — one half blooming with life, the other scarred by our neglect. It tells the story of Earth’s dual reality: the beauty that still thrives, and the damage we continue to inflict. Chlorophyll clings to one side, vibrant and full of promise. The other side bears the weight of smoke, soot, and silence — a blight born from pollution, plastic, and apathy. But this is not just a warning. It’s a choice. Every action we take feeds one side or the other. Every voice raised, every forest saved, every habit changed — nourishes the bloom. May we remember that even in the shadow of destruction, nature still reaches for the light. And so must we. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The materials are found in the waste of people’s homes, restaurants and other companies. The materials for the bloom side are recycled
plants and flowers from thrift shops.

About the Artists:   Jenny is a teacher and lives and Northfield. Danielle is a business analyst and lives in Minneapolis. Danielle creates upcycled designs for items in her daily job at Target.

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  We are passionate about the theme as it should be important to all of us, but Danielle works for Target Corporation on the team who is involved in creating items from recycled materials. She has made many products you’ll find at Target today, made from recycled plastic. 

Designer: Barb Piper
Model: Barb Piper 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  Our hens’. 

About the Artist:  I am a retired teacher living north of Northfield, in the country. I’ve up-cycled denim and fabrics for years, have always preferred old to new.  As a child, we relied on creative re-use because my parents had five children and money was very tight. 

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  Putting this piece on for the first time inspired spontaneous chicken behaviors-(sudden urge to cluck, flap “wings”, strange craving for meal worms, a need to scratch the dirt) 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? This outfit up-cycled ten poly feed bags.  We go through two of these bags per month for just 6 chickens.   With some creativity, much of our trash can be reused, up-cycled, re-cycled.   It is a conscious effort to keep things out of the landfill.  I like this statement:  “We never throw anything “away” – it just goes somewhere else. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? DRESS-Chicken feed bags, cut cottage cheese containers for shoulders, lining is an old sheet PURSE- hardware cloth leftover from chicken coop windows (protection from predators), old stripped copper wire HAT-chick feeder, feathers from a near miss (!) fox encounter, ceramic training egg, EARRINGS- feathers from first molt SHOES-found in my closet, once used for Halloween.  

Designer: Dimi DeRose
Models: Clio Epstein, Frances Kaiser, Dae Kaiser 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? This quote: “Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time.” Hermann Hesse 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? Tabletop accoutrements were turned into garments and wearables, sourced locally. Tablecloth and table runner, placemats, dinner napkins, napkin rings, fruit bowl + charger plate, and birds hatched from centerpiece fruit! Light fixture shades turned to basins. Also footwear, scarves and sashes, shirts and layering garments,

About the Artist:  As the Mimi of our young creatives, there is a reciprocity of bright ideas and ingenuity. Questions and solutions and trials are shared among the generations. I currently restore hopeless old houses to happiness and new life, with ideas from the young, naturally.      

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  Dimi’s twiggy basin vines are twisted and knotted nubby yarns. Dimi only has one bird perching – where’ve they gone?…Clio’s bark-like skirt is made of woven vinyl placemats. Clio’s lacy shrug is a reproduction of her mother’s wedding attire. Frances’ frond-like skirt ismade of 8 dinner napkins. Frances’ layering garments were tinted in coffee and tea. Dae’s shorts are on loan from the family dog, worn during convalescence. Dae’s capelet and hood are also made from dinner napkins. He’s also highly favored by wild things! (Note: he’ll have 8 birds on him, while the girls will only have 3, and Dimi just
one.) 

Designer: Kim & Olive Kocak
Model: Olive Kocak 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival?  We attended Runway Revival last year and were amazed at the creativity and creations. Olive immediately started to dream up her own piece for a future event. She loves cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics and wanted to create a piece that celebrated those activities! We also loved working together, daughter and mom,
on the challenge and creativity of this project. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? The piece is made up of mostly of plastic and paper bags from grocery items (bread, potatoes, produce, coffee, etc.). The thread used to stitch it all together is from a handed down sewing basket from Olive’s great grandma. 

About the Artists:   Olive attends SpringCreek Elementary and is going into 3rd grade. Kim is one of the owners of Homebody Refill Market on Division Street. Olive has been creating upcycled
designs since she could hold the materials. Forever dreaming up a bed for a doll or pretend phone out of materials she can find around the house. She’s got lots of cardboard creations under her belt!
Kim’s a casual creator too and has tried to be mindful about sourcing secondhand and using materials repurposed! Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share?  Olive, new to sewing, never thought she’d be sewing on plastic! It was a surprise and fun challenge. 

Is there a specific environmental fact that relates to your piece? According to US EPA (2018) The Plastic Bags, Sacks, and Wraps category, which encompasses bread bags, generated 4.2 million tons of waste in  the US. Of this, a mere 10% was recycled, while the majority was landfilled or combusted. 

Designers/Models:  Olive Perryman and Coralei Volden 

What inspired the piece you created for this year’s Runway Revival? We wanted to follow a garden-inspired theme and we both enjoy sewing and upcycling clothes. Our friend Ryan helped us draw our initial designs. 

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? Thrifted dress, hand me downs, garage sale flowers. Coralei made her skirt from a previously used bedsheet! 

About the Artist:  We live outside of Northfield. We are both uprising 6th graders at Northfield Middle School. Coralei plays the cello, Olive plays the viola. Both of us participate in 4-H and were recently honored at the Rice County Fair; Coralei received a Reserve Champion ribbon for the skirt she’s wearing tonight and Olive received a Champion Ribbon for a poster about the benefits of Thrifting! Olive participated in the 2024 Runway Revival, this is Coralei’s first event!  

Any fun or unexpected fact about this piece you want to share? Coralei’s shawl is the skirt from a dress made for toddlers! 

Designer: Nohemy Rodriguez
Model: Jade Tamayo 

What inspired you to create the piece for this year’s Runway Revival? Awareness about the use of bags. 

What materials did you use and where did they come from? It’s made from recycled paper bags from Cub Foods, Aldi, and Family Fare. It also has pieces of a broken beaded necklace, and the headpiece is made from ribbon and cardboard. It’s hand-painted with acrylic paint. 

About the artist: I live in Northfield and am an artist at Local Market. I’ve been creating designs with recycled materials for about three years. 

Any interesting or unexpected facts about this piece you’d like to share? This piece represents my Mexican roots, the colorfulness, and the cultural richness of Mexico. 

Is there any specific environmental information related to your work? Paper bags, although biodegradable, have a significant environmental impact, especially in their production.
Manufacturing paper bags requires more water and energy than plastic bags, and contributes to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. However, paper bags decompose more quickly in
the environment than plastic ones and can be recycled. 

Designer: Nohemy Rodriguez
Model: Paola Reyes

What inspired you to create the piece for this year’s Runway Revival? Awareness about the use of bags. What materials did you use and where did they come from? It’s made from recycled paper bags from Cub Foods, Aldi, and Family Fare. The flowers are made from egg cartons. 

About the artist: I live in Northfield and am an artist at Local Market. I’ve been creating designs with recycled materials for about three years. 

Any interesting or unexpected facts about this piece you’d like to share? This dress represents our connection with nature; it’s made from recycled paper bags. The roots represent our connection to the earth and the importance of returning to our origins. The integrated leaves and flowers symbolize the natural cycle of life, showing how discarded things can be transformed into something new. It’s a fashion statement that unites ecological awareness and creativity. 

Is there any specific environmental information related to your work? Paper bag production relies on logging, which contributes to the loss of forests, which are essential for carbon sequestration and biodiversity. 

Designer/Model: Leslie Yamilet Méndez Hernández 

What inspired you to create this year’s Runway Revival piece? I was inspired by my home, remembering and missing everything beautiful about my home: the landscapes, the food, the friends, and the family.

What materials did you use, and where did they come from? Well, in my opinion, every material we use, be it paper, cardboard, small things, etc., is thrown away on the street. Those things, even if they’re just a few, can be useful. It’s something to be imaginative about, whether you can recycle them or figure out how to reuse them. 

About this artist. My job or career is really in Mexico, I am a paramedic, entry level, I work in different places or things I learn really fast, I like to learn new things every day or I focus so much that I try to learn and give my best, so specifically my job or where I work as such, I can’t say well since I have worked in many places but for example I know of work in Housekeeping, packaging in various mechanical things, and well whatever God gives me life and life, whatever it gives me I try to learn or live from it and on the other hand I am clearly an artist, I draw, paint, do crafts, I do too many things like embroidery, knitting, sewing with a machine and every day, I learn what I am good at in life and I do everything from the heart – all of this you can find at the local Northfield market. In fact, it is the first time that I have made a design with recycled materials, but I had the idea as
a child, when I was in elementary school there in Mexico, I imagined myself making a dress or a suit with recycled materials when I saw people doing it, and I dreamed of making one until the opportunity arose to make the first suit I wanted in my life. Any interesting or unexpected facts about this piece you’d like to share? It’s something new, something you’ve never seen before, an original and unique design.
 
Is there any specific environmental information related to your work? Paper bag production relies on logging, which contributes to the loss of forests, which are essential for carbon sequestration and biodiversity.