Brooklyn woman designs “recycled fashion”

By Rita A. Leonard

The Bee, Dec 26, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Resembling a human disco ball, Brooklyn resident Jennifer La Mastra models a sustainable pantsuit outfit she created of recycled CD’s – which she entered in this year’s Portland Junk to Funk Fashion Show. Her purple Afro wig is made of recycled guitar strings and spiral notebook bindings.

Rita A. Leonard / THE BEE

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The current focus on green living now shows up as wearable recycled fashion.

We see gloves made of spun plastic from recycled bottles, hats incorporating used denim or aluminum cans, and totes woven from recycled plastic bags. Creative fashion designers have also addressed the idea of sustainable clothing through Portland’s “Junk to Funk” fashion shows, creating wearable items made from found objects and recycled materials.

This eclectic, humorous show has been described variously as “trashion”, “rubbish meets couture”, and “a cross between Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Hallowe’en in a junkyard”. Junk to Funk works in collaboration with Orlo, a Portland non-profit that uses creative arts to explore environmental issues. A percentage of show’s profits are donated to Orlo.

Brooklyn resident Jennifer La Mastra recently created a striking pantsuit and bolero jacket made of recycled CD’s and dyed, felted human hair — collected from her own salon. She topped off the outfit with a purple Afro wig made of recycled guitar strings and spiral notebook bindings.

La Mastra modeled the outfit on Nov. 15 as “Miss Reverb Fever” at the 3rd annual Junk to Funk fashion show held at the Wonder Ballroom. The event was emceed by Mayor-elect Sam Adams and by Tara from Camas FM station KNRK/94.7.

As Jen strolled down the runway in her creative outfit, the announcer noted, “The flashy empire-waisted pants and sassy bra are a disco dream, made from hundreds of CD’s to create a visual banquet of light and colors, where treats for the ears become a feast for the eyes.”

La Mastra told THE BEE that she had a lot of fun making the outfit, and the accompanying purple Afro wig, for her entry into the popular fashion show produced by Elysium Events.

This exciting event, which promises to help “keep Portland weird”, demonstrates that the Rose City continues to forge ahead on the cutting edge of what’s fun and funky in the world of sustainable fashion.