Found Object Fashion Show

The Found Object Fashion Show is an experience in innovation and problem-solving.  Students work in pairs to design, construct and wear an ensemble built out of non-traditional materials.  This show is the Intro to Metals and Fibers students, so it is their first experience with the show.  Their experience starts with a review of the unit, looking at previous student work and professional avant-garde fashions.  They then partner up, sketch out different ideas for silhouettes and brainstorm what found-object materials they could use to build their piece.  We then discuss different routes for making the base of their pieces and a variety of options on how to attach found objects to the base.  At this point, the project passes entirely to student's hands as they are asked to investigate and analyze encountered problems on their own as much as possible.  They're challenged by making outfits that both fit and move with the human form from non-fabric materials, attaching non-porous objects to a flexible base, making a piece that is both flattering and comfortable while also interesting in form.  In the end, the students participate in a fashion show in front of the student body in our auditorium.  It is a nerve-wracking and very fulfilling experience that student value and remember with fondness and pride!

This project's greatest strength is the depth of problem-solving, experimentation and innovation students need to employ in order to have a final successful piece.  There isn't a single plan in the 7 years we've done this that has been unchanged from day one to day 14. Students will encounter roadblocks, and they need to work their way through those experiences.  This experience of problem-solving, experimentation and innovation is a true reflection of career based projects that students will experience as they enter the workforce.  

For more information about the Found Object Fashion Show, please contact Angela Szabo at the Fort Atkinson High School.