Club of the Month: Junk Kouture

Our Junk Kouture group meets on Monday lunchtimes to rework objects of rubbish and used materials that are beyond their intended purpose and craft them into eye-catching bespoke fashion designs. 

With garments currently in progress, our senior pupils have entered the international Junk Kouture competition, giving them the opportunity to potentially have their designs showcased around the world. 

Not only does Junk Kouture allow senior pupils to hone their creative skills, it encourages them to think sustainably, proving that even the catwalk can be eco-friendly!

We caught up with the current cohort to find out what makes Junk Kouture at Watson’s so popular:

Junk Kouture is an innovative and progressive initiative. In your own words, what is the group’s purpose?

Being part of Junk Kouture allows us to see rubbish in a new light and appreciate the importance of working on a sustainable fashion project. Everything we recycle/reuse once served a completely different purpose - a new lease of life that also ensures we are helping the environment in a fun and friendly way. Ultimately, Junk Kouture lets us revamp the way we see rubbish! 

Why do you enjoy attending?

First and foremost, it’s a chance to learn in a fun, relaxed environment and be with friends who share a common interest. The process of turning old, ugly rubbish into something beautiful is exciting and the opportunities of how to reuse items are endless. Junk Kouture offers a structured way to mess around with our recycling!

What are the most important things you have learnt whilst being part of the club?

We have learnt a lot at Junk Kouture:

• The importance of working as a team
• How to paper mache in new ways - such as on umbrellas!
• The skills required to use a hot glue gun
• How to make a piece of clothing - whether it's a pair of trousers, a top of a dress. Anything is possible!
• How to use a heat press. 
• The importance of repurposing resources we already have at our fingertips!

How will your involvement in Junk Kouture help you beyond Watson's?

As we think beyond Watson’s, we appreciate how much Junk Kouture has given us over the years. We can safely say that teamwork has been key in all our recycling projects - a transferable skill that will be of benefit as we go onto further education or the workplace. We have all become much more resourceful individuals and have a refined knowledge about the environment and sustainable development goals. Above all, we have become creative with trash!

And finally, why should pupils consider signing up?

Pupils within the Watson’s community should come along to Junk Kouture, not just for the social but also because it offers a platform to learn new things whilst having a good time! It is a very unique club and probably unlike anything you may have done before - embracing new experiences is part of the extracurricular fun at Watson’s!

If you would like to experience Junk Kouture, please contact Teacher of Art, Lauren Ferguson for more information - maybe you could be the next sustainable star of the catwalk!