ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) – Designers duked it out at the Recycle the Runway fashion event on Wednesday.
The 10th anniversary event, hosted by Dress for Success Quad Cities, saw 16 designers bring their visions to life, centering around one of the four elements:
Officials said the fashion competition challenges designers to create stunning runway looks from recycled and repurposed materials.
Participants got a bag full of items that would be thrown away and were challenged to build a design made of at least 65% of them.
“I think it’s an empowerment, we love to empower women and we’re empowering our designers to take something that people may have discarded and turned it into runway fashion,” LaNette Turner, Program & Marketing Coordinator for Dress for Success Quad Cities, said.
Proceeds from the event directly fund programs and services to help women in the community prepare for milestones like job interviews or entering the workforce, officials said.
“100% of the funds that we are raise will go to help ladies with their suitings, with career coaching, with professional development, all of it will go directly to them,” said Turner.
Jen Merriman, a local designer, came back for a second year and took first place.
“It’s something so different, and it just brings everyone together for such a great cause and I’m just thankful to be a part of it,” Merriman said.
This year, attendees got the chance to participate in a silent auction, interactive elemental experiences, and even bet on their favorite designs for the People’s Choice award.
KWQC’s Morgan Ottier was the MC of the event and Jasmine Butler, KWQC’s Account Executive, was one of the judges.
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