They say one man's trash is another man's treasure - but maybe that should be changed to be woman, if a new recycled fashion competition is anything to go by.
A selection of school pupils aged 17 and 18 from Firrhill High School in Edinburgh helped launch Junk Kouture - a new competition celebrating the art of wearable junk - by modelling couture inspired dresses made from old rope, pine cones and pineapple skin outside Glaswgow's Buchanan Galleries.
Already a major success in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Junk Kouture inspires young, wannabe fashion designers to come up with truly spectacular creations, while at the same time reinforcing the importance of recycling and re-using waste.
Designs in previous years in Ireland have included a bright green, blue and red dress with matching headdress, made entirely from the contents of an obsolete computer and a high necked, floor length gown made from wine bottle corks.
The competition is open to all secondary school aged children across Glasgow. Pupils are being challenged to create a wearable couture design and submit a photo of their finished creation. The only twist is that the outfits must be made from materials that can be recycled or reused.
A judging panel of Scottish fashion experts will whittle down the best designs - the designers then have to choreograph a performance to showcase their outfit on the catwalk at the grand final in Glasgow in March 2015.
Information packs have been sent to schools with details of how to get involved.
Elizabeth Curran and Troy Armour are the brains behind Junk Kouture, having set the competition up five years ago in Ireland.Elizabeth said: "I have always had a huge passion for fashion but also cared enormously for the environment and this seemed like the perfect way to combine both. It's really captured the imagination of school kids in Ireland and I'm confident we'll see the same in Scotland.
"The city has a reputation for its style and some of the UK's current top designers were born and bred here so I'm expecting a high calibre of entrants. Some of our Irish winners have gone on to gain scholarships to major fashion colleges, dawned the red carpet at the royal film premier and graced the pavements at Cannes film festival. So it's not just about one night of glory, this competition has the potential to kick start a dream career."
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