Recycled materials were the centerpiece of a recent Maui County fashion show. But the real star of the show was the runner-up, an 11-year-old from Molokaʻi.
Rose Elder created wearable art titled “Warrior Against Pollution,” made with marine debris she collected from Molokaʻi beaches.
She entered it into the annual Trashion Show, hosted by the nonprofit Malama Maui Nui. The Art of Trash and Trashion Show is a juried exhibition that inspires Maui County residents to reimagine discarded resources and transform them into creative art.
Earlier this month, the organization flew Rose and her family to Maui, where she walked the runway in her costume.
Rose said the contest combined her passions for a healthy environment with sewing and clothing design.
“Me and my dad, we always go to the beach and always pick up trash. We take a bunch of buckets and bags and we put all the plastic we can in there. We've done that for years. But once I figured out there's this competition, I really wanted to be a part of it, because I’ve been picking up trash pretty much my whole life from the beach," she said.
Rose said she found the perfect materials to craft her creation and sketched out her design.
“I wanted it to kinda be a warrior who’s wearing pollution like a shield.”
Rose's win didn’t come without pain.
“My armpits hurt so bad — still! My costume has this weird sharp plastic that covers the sides and it goes right under my armpit.”
But she toughed it out in warrior style and earned second place, alongside adult first and third place winners from Maui.
Rose worked on her submission for a couple hours a day for about a month. Students from Molokai Middle School also submitted entries to the show.
Jurors selected the winners based on the transformation of material, quality of craftsmanship and overall creativity.
Rose’s father, Jason Elder, also earned honorable mention for his entry to the Art of Trash show.
