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Winter '25 Competes in "Junk Kouture" World Finals
In late February, CSW alum Winter Lynn ’25, had the opportunity to travel to Dublin, Ireland with Visual Arts faculty member Alison Stafford to compete in the prestigious “Junk Kouture” World Finals fashion competition.
Winter competed last spring in the preliminary round in New York City. From there, 10 finalists were selected to compete at the World Final in Dublin, Ireland. The competition is open to 12-19-year-olds in middle to high school. Participants are challenged to create a fashion couture outfit from 100% recycled materials, blending sustainability with artistry in a global celebration of innovation.
Winter’s piece, called “Photogenic,” was constructed from photographs and photo negatives rescued from a trash can. The mock feather boa was made by braiding old fabric with handsewn strips of photo negative. “Inspired by the impacts of the circular economy and fast fashion,” Winter says, “the dress aligns with the sustainable development goal of sustainable consumption.”
Beyond the runway, finalists toured Dublin together, including a visit to Trinity College, and formed friendships with peers from cities such as New York, Paris, and Milan. Alison described the experience as joyful and inspiring, noting how supportive the competitors were of one another. “How much the students wanted to know each other — that part was really beautiful,” she reflected.
Congratulations to Winter!
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.