Discarded to Divine 2011 is just around the corner, and, as in past years, the annual fundraiser for St. Vincent de Paul Society San Francisco and its programs is full of fashionable garments made from cast-off textiles. They’ll all be up for auction on April 28. In the meantime, a few highlights from this year’s show:
The Baile de Oro ("Dance of Gold") dress by Mary Hall Patron of Backstitch Embroidery features a cinched waist tied at the back. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
The Flouncy Party Dress by Jenne Giles of Harlequin Feltworks pairs an unstructured body with feminine details. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
Cari Borja's Galatea at Twilight jacket features the Easy Bay designer's signature ruffles and a dramatic tiered silhouette. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
The houndstooth Dorothy coat by Janice Paredes was inspired by her mother, Dorothy, a skilled seamstress who taught her daughter to reuse fabric to make new creations. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
The one-shoulder Aphrodite dress by Academy of Art students Xiang Zang and Yoorum Kim features chiffon, fine knit and cashmere and includes a removable fur collar adorned with ribbons. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
Wesley Ito says of the Tablecloth dress created for this year's show, "The greatest challenge was to figure out what to create with a tablecloth, since there wasn't much fabric to work with. Another challenge was to make it feel modern and new so that someone would want to wear it." Adding to the intrigue, the waist detail is yellow velvet. Photo by Gabriel Harber.
The Anastasia coat by Olga Shor is streamlined, yet colorful and ornate.
gr.dano's Jill Giordano and Brian Scheyer created this coat using drapes, a baby blanket and a woman's suit. Says Scheyer, "The inspiration for the coat we designed is based on our daily drive toward the Golden Gate Bridge from our home in Sausalito. The hand dyed ombre technique is derived from the color gradient of the bridge as it appears and disappears amongst the morning fog. The overall draping and pleating of the coat reflects the three-mile drive up the hill to the bridge."
Photography courtesy of Gabriel Harber and Discarded to Divine.
