'Unique' upcycled creations hit fashion runway in Slough High Street

Designers showcased their 'unique' upcycling skills at a fashion catwalk competition in Slough at the weekend.

The theme of the competition, hosted by Slough Anti-Litter Society and Slough BID, was 'from litter to fashion'. 

Entrants created new, wearable garments from pre-existing clothing and materials, and modelled them on a catwalk in the town square in Slough on Saturday (September 16). 

Chair of Slough Anti-Litter Society, Tirza Meinema said: "The Slough Fashion Upcycle Catwalk was a fantastic event that brought over 450 people together from all over Slough to celebrate creativity and sustainability.

"It was also a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of reducing litter and waste."

Organisers said the judges were 'impressed by the creativity and skill' of all competition entries, with a few standing out from the crowd. 

Placing first was Qudsia Rahim who created a reversible vest made from old crisp packets, a handbag from an old Tesco bag and a fabric-painted skirt, decorated with words about Slough, made from old fabric, jeans and a costume dress. 

She said: "My garment was a tribute to Slough. I painted the different areas of Slough on my skirt. It feels great to be a winner and to be appreciated." 

Coming in second was Asma Naureen with her tunic dress made of old curtain lining and designed with decorative crochet patches.

She paired this with a necklace made out of an old scarf twisted and wrapped in wool, and a recycled chain from an old necklace.

The judges included Muddassar Javid, manager at JD Sports, Jazib Farooq, manager at Primark, Clare Williams from Slough Repair Cafe and Halima Yousuf, an eco-fashion personal blogger. The event was sponsored by TK Maxx. 

"We were thrilled to see so many people take part in the competition and create such beautiful and innovative garments," Tirza added. 

"The event was a reminder that we can all be the change we want to see in Slough, one upcycled outfit at a time."

Model, Maya Sengupta from the community group, Knit Your Socks Off placed third with poncho and matching bag made from a knitted blanket.

Rifat Iqbal-Khan from Slough BID said the skillset of the participants was 'breathtaking'.

Rifat said: “It was a wonderfully unique and individual community event in the town square. We are the only town to have hosted this type of event so far.

"It was an enlightening experience, offering insights into sustainable fashion practices, the latest eco-friendly fabrics, and innovative ways to minimize the environmental footprint of the fashion industry."

The event had musical entertainment from the Dhol Collective and DJ Stephen Ambrose, founder of the Love Music Hate Violence campaign, as well as Bhangra dancing by Vasda Punjab. 

Windsor style coach, Claire Giacobbe of 'I Got Style', hosted the event, and organisers thanked Slough mayor Councillor Amjad Abaasi, for his attendance and support.

Slough Anti-Litter Society is a volunteer organisation that works to keep Slough clean and tidy, through regular litter picks, the Slough Repair Café and other events. For more information, visit: www.sloughantilitter.org.uk. For more information about Slough BID, visit: www.sloughbid.co.uk