Back when McHayle graduated from the school in 2008, the sustainable fashion program had yet to be conceived. Still, McHayle, who went on to study Fashion Merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology, made her fair share of ingenious objects, including an oversized lipstick-shaped lamp, , and tote bags that she’d customize herself and sell at lunch.
It wasn’t until 2010 that Julie Zenobi, now New Design’s Facilitator of Design Education, inaugurated the program. “At the time, they were just using newspaper,” McHayle says of the sustainable competition’s origins. “As their work became elevated, Zenobi expanded their options by reusing unconventional materials like mandarin orange packaging from the lunch room, old-school wallpaper, shower curtains, and recycled jewelry.
And as for this year’s student-designed runway pieces, they sounded completely innovative. “Aside from the awesome personality shining through every model and designer, I was captivated by every students’ attention to detail and the realization of their power to carry messages through their designs,” McHayle says. There were hand-painted textiles, origami butterflies, and even a