Paper frocks: Alberta fashion students create dresses from gift wrap
In case you missed it, check out the imaginative dresses that walked a catwalk in Calgary on Dec. 8
Runway models could suffer a few paper cuts on when they slip into dresses made from gift wrap on Thursday at Bankers Hall in downtown Calgary.
They'll be wearing the paper dresses at a holiday fashion show over the lunch hour organized by PARK — which stands for "Promoting Artists Redefining Kulture."
"Our mandate in the city has to been to provide a platform for local artists and fashion designers to show and sell their work," said Jessie Li, vice-president and co-founder.
The social enterprise enlisted students from The Fashion Institute at Olds College to create the delicate outfits. The students were instructed to only work with materials from the gift wrapping station in Bankers Hall.
"The whole construction, it's definitely a lot of experimenting," said first-year student, Rochelle Flancia.
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Her colleague, Nicole Wee, says her biggest fear is that her dress will rip or "completely fall off" the model once she starts walking down the runway.
"Working with paper is a lot harder than fabric," said Wee.
Wee has been careful not to craft her outfit too tightly to the mannequin, otherwise it could tear when she takes it off the dummy.
"We made it into three pieces so it's easier for the model to put on," she said.
The fashion show takes place between noon and 1 p.m. on Dec. 8 on the North Bridge of the +15 of Bankers Hall. The gift wrap dresses will remain on display until Dec. 9.
Shoppers can vote for their favourite dress. For every ballot cast, Bankers Hall will donate $5 to the CBC Calgary Food Bank Drive.
