NEW YORK — A white flowing dress designed by Jaclyn Kelly and on display in Philadelphia looks nice enough, but a closer look shows it is made from coffee filters.
Two other Philadelphia University students were equally inventive with their creations. Kathryn Taylor came up with a strapless metallic number, consisting of York Peppermint Pattie wrappers, and Andrew Glenesk’s halter dress is made from soda tabs.
All three are participating in an ongoing exhibition sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its regional office in the City of Brotherly Love. These and other budding designers were encouraged to use recyclables. Shopping bags, newspapers and bottle caps provided the basis material for some of the other designs on display at 1650 Arch Street.
In total, six Philadelphia University students from a problem-solving design class whipped up outfits for the show. “The designs in this fashion show may be lovely and haute, but the materials they are made from are, to put it bluntly, garbage,” a college spokeswoman said.