Photos by- Mavila Photogrpahy

If there is something better than a fashion show, it’s one packed with garments made strictly from recycled materials! Such scenario took place this past November 18 at the Young At Art Museum in Davie, Florida,  where teen designers showcased their edgy and one-of-a-kind looks made out of recycled components. This unique event celebrated its 11 years, and on this occasion it was named “Tech Restyled!”

For this year’s show, each of the participants were tasked to choose the environment impact on technological achievements as their source of inspiration. Needless to say, all of the designers worked arduously for the past three months to bring their concepts to life, since they were strictly bound to utilize recycled and repurposed materials only. This time around, components such a plastic tubes, cans, plastic bags, newspaper, remnant fabric, paint,  and old computer parts were used to create the entire looks.

This New-York style runway show counted with 13 impeccable looks, and was hosted by NBC 6 morning traffic report host, Kelly Blanco. The designers ranged from 9 years to 18 years old, which allowed for this show to be as diverse and rich as possible. Everyone could clearly see the teens did their homework, since the environmental issues they focused on went beyond pollution. On the contrary, these girls touched subjects like Landfill Growth, Flint Water, Bottle Cap Recycling, Bubbling Blue-Green Algae Blooms, and even Construction Waste. While all the designs were exceptional, designer Sierra Decordova took the main prize of the night for the third year in a row, with a dress made strictly from computer parts, wires from house phones and keyboards.

Tech Restyled! was a supercharged show that also counted with a  DJ sets entirely played by the talented girls from “Girls Make Beats”. Our beloved friends at Whole Foods, and Pei Wei were in charge of the catering, while Yonutz and ChillN’ brought the dessert to the house with an ice cream station and a giant donut wall. Kaizen Beauty Academy provided a fun nail art station, and Cirque Du Solei Kurios brought the steampunk vibe to life with their unique Photo Booth.

The beauty of this event, it’s that it promoted more than wearable art, but it also helped each of the contestants to push beyond their boundaries in terms of creativity, determination and camaraderie. All of the designers were from diverse backgrounds and belong to different programs such as the museum’s Team Leadership Program, YAA Art House and the PACE Center for Girls. All the proceeds went to support Young At Art’s teen leadership and other pioneering programs for undeserved and at-risk youth, while celebrating and supporting creativity and art at all ages.

About Young At Art Museum (YAA)

The Gold-LEED® certified Young At Art Museum is the epicenter of cultural arts education for families and features four permanent galleries: GreenScapes, CultureScapes, WonderScapes and ArtScapes Young At Art is located at 751 SW 121 Ave. in Davie. Hours are Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m