Ardcroney teenager is a world winner in Junk Kouture
A TEENAGER from Ardcroney who sourced wool from a neighbouing farmer's sheep and an old potato sack to create a costume made from waste has won a major award at the inaugural World Junk Kouture Final in Abu Dhabi.
Genevieve Keane, a Fifth Year student at the Ursuline Convent in Thurles, won the praise of the judging panel who bestowed on her Cultural Couture Award for her unique design, which they said reflected the cultural identity of Ireland.
Genevieve was up against stiff competition from 60 competitors from the UAE, United KIngdom, Paris, Milan, the USA and nine other designs from Ireland who made the final. But her stunning entry, based on themes of Christianity and Saint Patrick, came out tops, winning high praise from the judges in the cultural category.
Her design, “Acantha”, captured the imagination judges, Fabio Piras, Head of FashionCentral, Saint Martin's, London; Dr Tracy Fahey, Head of Department of Fine Art at the Limerick School of Art and Design; Mehreen Baig, UK Broadcaster and Author and Lise Pierron, a French Fashion Model and Influencer.
The research process undertaken by Genevieve for the competition explored Irish people's longstanding relationship with the sea throughout history, the Book Of Kells, Saint Patrick/Christianity and the famine.
Materials sourced to create the costume included a potato sack made from hemp, which was made into a corset. Broken jewellery provided the embellishments for the corset, while discarded Donegal yarns were handwoven to make the cape.
Embroidered staircase carpet provided the border for the cape, which was completed using scraps of fabric Genevieve dyed. She made a few hundred roses to complete the embellishments.
The skirt of the costume was created using lace curtains and gold leaf. The centre panel of the skirt was a quilt, pleated and beaded with pearls from her mother's wedding dress.
A bag created as an accessory to the costume was felted using wool from her neighbour's sheep and leather from an old sofa. A crown made as part of the costume was of a Celtic design and was created using laser-cut brass, embellished with Acanthus leaves, harps and earrings.
Techniques applied by Genevieve to create the piece included weaving, laser-cutting and metalwork. Other skills she had to master to create the piece included felting, embroidery, free form embroidery, beading, pleating, dyeing, painting, printing and pattern drafting.
Genevieve was accompanied to Abu Dhabi by her Tutors, Mr Michael English and Ms Erica Flanagan, who, like her, put in a lot of hard work and long hours to create the winning design.
The time and effort of her two tutors and the Ursuline Convent spent on the project is much appreciated by Genevieve and her family who said the entire project was “an amazing opportunity and experience”.
Congratulations to Genevieve, who has been a superb ambassador for the Junk Kouture Competition and for Ireland and the Ursuline Convent in Thurles. Her family, friends and school are all very proud of her achievement, as is local TD, Michael Lowry, who took to social media to congratulate Genevieve.
The Ursuline Convent itself on its Facebook page congratulated its “world class couturier Genevieve”. The school said it was so proud of her and her amazing achievement.
The aim of ‘Junk Kouture’ is to give teenages the opportunity to create up-cycled, recycled couture made from throwaway items.