On Sunday it rained in New York City. I didn't even have to walk a block to see the street corner littered with bent, broken, abandoned umbrellas. Few things represent our disposable lifestyle more than these umbrellas carelessly tossed in the gutter.

How can we turn trash into treasure?

This garment is constructed of black discarded umbrellas collected locally. The structured bodice utilizes the umbrella ribs as boning, while the floor length fitted skirt utilizes multiple umbrella panels for shaping. The back features a ruffled train formed out of layers of umbrella panels and ribs. Exposed rib points at the front bodice and back ruffles add extra sparkle. Extra rib and metal components collected strand together to create a chandelier style necklace in which the ribs can be arranged in the front or back as desired.

While it would be great to design a solution to the problem, this garment is not. At a minimum, by turning trash into treasure, one can perhaps make people more aware of the reality of our disposable lifestyle.
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