FLUFFBABY by Megan Rafferty
“Over the last few years we are delighted that a number of our gifted and talented students have been involved in this very prestigious competition. This year Megan is one of 80 in Northern Ireland to make it through to the Northern Regional finals and we are very proud of her accomplishments. This is a great accolade for our department and a real testament to the talent and hard work that Megan gave to this project. We encourage the support of family and friends in voting for her costume entitled ‘Fluffbaby’ and wish her every success in the Millennium Forum final.”
Mrs E. McKeown Art teacher
What is Junk Kouture?
Junk Kouture is a national contest which encourages young designers in second level education to create striking couture designs and impressive works of wearable art from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. Junk Kouture aims to inspire and ignite passion in students while at the same time subtly educating them about the importance of recycling and reusing waste. Over the last five years, Junk Kouture has established itself as the premier recycled fashion competition for teenagers throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland.
What does the dress represent and how does it promote recycling?
Inspired by Asian ‘cute-culture’, it symbolises a new life for random, old mementos with sentimental value such as the ponies. These little precious objects along with many other curiosities will now have a life after childhood ends and play in the clouds instead of a cardboard box in the attic.
> – What material was used to make the dress? Who came up with the design and how long did it take to make the dress?
The design is created from My Little Ponies, Halloween webbing, drapes, Cheerios, broken fairy lights and an entire 2.5m IKEA Bed canopy, to name a few. I created the design and did the majority of the work, Leona provided helpful input and moral support. The dress took 5 months to make in total and is part of my AS Art and Design coursework.
> – Did the students enjoy working on the project? And how excited are they to have made it to the regional final?
Yes, although sometimes the hard work could be tiring and I was a little stressed waiting to see if I got through but I am absolutely over the moon to have made it this far. I have spoken to students who have been involved before and I am so excited to have the opportunity to present my designs on the catwalk at the Millenium Forum. The dress, music and performance will be fantastic when all come together on the big stage! I have spoken to the school during assembly and along with my posters and publicity, I am really excited about the campaign to get votes this week.
> – Will they be showcasing the same dress in Derry on March 4?
Yes, only this time with full hair/make-up and a choreographed routine!
> – Who are the students involved in the project? And is one of the students your official model for the regional final?
Leona Finnighan-Linkins supported me with the project. I am going to model the dress myself
How do you vote?
Voting takes place on the Bank of Ireland students Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BOIstudents) – Voting is easy; just select the North region, find ‘fluffbaby’ and click vote. Please share the news!
It runs from Mon 22nd– Fri 26th February and you can vote once per day.
