Supermodel Erin O’Connor praises Wolverhampton teens’ upcycled catwalk creations

Teenagers who transformed unwanted clothes into catwalk-ready fashion have won praise from supermodel Erin O’Connor after showcasing their creations at a Wolverhampton fashion show.

More than 100 students presented original designs made from donated and pre-loved garments at the event at Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre.

The winning outfit, created by Sebastian and Railijs, both 13, and Lucian, 14, featured a grey blazer decorated with colourful upcycled materials including plastic bottle caps, fabric scraps, ribbons and patterned textiles.

The teenagers spent a month transforming discarded clothing through sewing, repair and redesign before taking to the runway to present their creations.

O’Connor, originally from the Brownshill area of Walsall, who has walked for Prada, Chanel and Alexander McQueen, returned to her home region to judge the show, assessing the creativity and transformation of the outfits and sharing tips with students on how to walk the runway.

“It was a privilege to be part of the event and to see first hand the creativity, passion and innovation shown by young people from my local area,” she said.

“The future of fashion depends on its ability to become more sustainable, and it was incredibly inspiring to see these students leading the conversation and finding imaginative ways to reimagine and upcycle clothing.”