Recycling firm supports ´trashion´

Budding fashion designers aged between 14 and 21 who live, work or study in Wiltshire are being offered the opportunity to win a week’s fashion course at the renowned London College of Fashion by Marlborough-based recycling company Hills.

The Hills Group is sponsoring the award for the overall winner voted for by the audience on the night at the SALVAGE Trashion Show to be held on November 13 at St John’s Marlborough, Wiltshire.

Entrants to the competition are required to ‘recycle’ items of clothing and other materials to create an item of clothing or an accessory. The overall concept is to make something different, without buying anything new.

Announcing Hills Group’s support for the event, Mike Hill chief executive said, “The prize offers the winner an opportunity to spend a week at one of the world’s leading centres of fashion education in the world.

"Hills is delighted to be part of what is an exciting new way of communicating the recycling message to young people. Many 14 to 21 year olds are interested in fashion and we look forward to seeing some great designs.”

SALVAGE spokesperson Jane Lamb said, “It’s about cutting up an old t-shirt, dress or pair of jeans and giving it a new life – being cautious about what you throw away and wearing fashion that respects our planet. The basic idea is ‘don’t’ trash it ... refashion it’.”

Designs can be entered into any of the five categories – Red Carpet (outfits for premieres etc), Urban (streetwise clothing), Fantasy, High Street (everyday fashion) and Festival (clothing for concerts and festivals).

Entrants are required to submit a sketch of their design together with up to 200 words describing it, how it is going to be made and what they like about fashion before September 30. Full details on how to enter can be found at www.hills-group.co.uk/publications.php

Those with the best ideas in each category will be invited to compete at the SALVAGE Trashion Show to determine the overall winner. Entrants can model their own designs or choose to have someone else model for them. All entrants with designs in the Trashion Show will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

The SALVAGE concept was developed by Jane Lamb and Angela Hobbs to support Charlie’s Charity which works to raise funds for young people in clubs and organisations in Wiltshire who would benefit from support to help them make the most of their sporting abilities and opportunities.

For more information about Salvage log on to www.charliescharity.co.uk/blog/?cat=4

Other business sponsors include:

£250 Voucher from David Dudley, for the Winner of the Red Carpet category, sponsored by David Dudley & Kim Vine

£50 Voucher from Joules, sponsor of the Festival category.

£50 Cash prize from Haine & Smith, sponsor of the High Street category.

£50 Cash prize from Fowler Architecture & Planning, sponsors of Fantasy category

£50 Cash prize from Peter Maclaine sponsors of Urban category.