State success is in fashion

STATE RECOGNITION: South Australian Governor Hieu Van Le AC and Recycled Runway event manager Leanne Dunn, founder Trudy-Anne Doyle, event coordinators Molly Lennon, Zena Reiner and Elzette Le Roux, marketing coordinator Elize Le Roux, event coordinator Anka Le Roux and event judge Keith Hamilton. Picture: HEIDI WHO PHOTOS

By Molly Taylor

A MOUNT Gambier event with a focus on ending fast fashion and promoting sustainability has been named South Australia’s community event of the year in the state’s 2021 Australia Day awards.

Recycled Runway committee members were thrust into the spotlight with a visit to Government House in Adelaide last week where they received the award from South Australian Governor Hieu Van Le AC.

The event has also been named Mount Gambier City Council’s 2021 community event of the year.

Since its inception eight years ago, Recycled Runway has evolved into a standout social event for the Limestone Coast while promoting the impacts of textile waste, one of the largest contributors to landfill.

The Anglican Church initiative encourages people to recycle, reuse and repurpose secondhand clothing while raising funds for ac.care and the Uplift Project.

Held mid-year annually, participating aspiring designers purchase a bag of secondhand clothing from the Anglican Church Belltower Opportunity Shop and are tasked to recreate a new outfit from materials to be displayed in a fashion show-type event.

Involving an art deco theme, last year’s event proved difficult with COVID-19, but just weeks before event deadline, restrictions eased and the anticipated showcase was able to continue.

Practicing what it preaches, food was served in compostable containers, drinks were provided in glassware sourced from second-hand stores and decor was either made from reusable items or loaned from generous businesses.

2020 saw the introduction of many new event aspects including the Ashlee Lauren Sustainable Fashion Scholarship, with recipient Liza Mutch set to undertake a fashion sustainability course with mentorship from Ashlee Kalantarian – head designer and founder of Ashlee Lauren designs, now rebranded to A’el Estë.

Overall, $7000 was raised and donated last year, the most in event history.

In 2019, Recycled Runway won the Best Recycled Resources entry in the 60th Mount Gambier Christmas Parade which was its second award over two years.

No stranger to accolades, the event also formed part of the City Council’s winning entry in the 2019 KESAB Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns awards.

Committee members said they were overwhelmed with the award, with event manager Leanne Dunn adding they would be focusing on expanding the event’s reach nationally.

Ms Dunn said what she liked most about the showcase was it included all walks of life and it appealed to many different people.

“Founder Trudy-Anne Doyle has a strong passion for sustainability and lives and breathes it,” she said.

“There are people involved like event judge Keith Hamilton who are just passionate about fashion, meticulous with how a garment is put together, the techniques used and how the garment is made.

“And then there are the people behind the event who can’t sew a button to save their life, but are passionate about the community.”

Involved since event inception, Mr Hamilton said he had seen a substantial journey with amazing growth.

“We have seen some great budding young designers and it is a real thinking challenge,” he said.

“As a judge, it is not just about doing an amazing job, but how they’ve thought about things.

“The event is especially important for the sustainability of clothing and fashion because everybody knows about not wearing the same thing twice.”

There are plans to adopt more mentorship opportunities for participants.

The next event, scheduled for August 28, has also progressed with the theme Out of Africa decided.

*Read more about the Limestone Coast’s Australia Day honours on pages 9-14