Rags To Runway Returns To The Burdekin

Coco Chanel. Tommy Hilfiger. Gianni Versace—Some of the most prominent names in the modern fashion industry, and all built on the back of humble, hard-working trailblzers born far from the limelight.

And who’s to say the next one won’t be from the Burdekin?

On Saturday, July 12, the region’s top local fashionistas will be showcasing their creative knack at St Stephen's Greek Orthodox Hall in this year’s Burdekin Rags to Runway.

The hallmark fashion event of the Burdekin—now in its fifth year—will see entrants from across the Burdekin strut their stuff across a range of categories, each with its own budgetary parameters.

Among prizes up for grabs are the Ladies Race Wear Budget Challenge (Maximum Spend $40.00), the Evening Wear Budget Challenge (Maximum Spend $30.00), the Budget Challenge (Maximum spend $30.00), the Open Section—Any Second-hand Garment/Fabric Items Re-modelled, and Junior Sections—Ages up to 13 years, and ages 14 – 18 years.

Event coordinator Sandi Milani says that the scoring will be based predominantly on creativity rather than technical execution.

“It’s not about how well you sew—we don’t look inside the garments or anything—we’re looking at the creativity—what they’ve used and how they’ve repurposed it,” she says.

For Milani, who played an integral role in the event’s inception, it’s about trying to get people to think outside the box.

“Most times the entrants will use three or four items of clothing and repurpose it into one item,” she added.

“It’s been really interesting seeing the ideas and how people have taken their items and transformed them into something else that’s more modern and wearable.”

Milani hopes that the event can shift attitudes around waste and fast fashion:

“What we’re encouraging people to do is to go to the op shops, or maybe a fashion store that has a throw-out rack, and to repurpose and restyle items that don’t seem fashionable.

“It’s really about trying to get people to think ‘just because it’s out of fashion, doesn’t meant it has to be thrown away."

This year’s event will feature more entertainment, market stalls showcasing local art, and prizes awarded after each section, and with around 150 spectators expected, Rags to Runway continues to grow—also welcoming 25 entrants this year, up from just eight in its first year.

You can grab your tickets by emailing artipeople@yahoo.com or at 170 Arts on the Avenue—beside Ashworth’s Rock Shop Home Hill.

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The hallmark fashion event of the Burdekin—now in its fifth year—will see entrants from across the Burdekin strut their stuff across a range of categories, each with its own budgetary parameters.

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