BY SHELBY TUTTLE
FABRIC’s annual spring reFABRICate Fashion Show is more than just a runway event; it’s a celebration of creativity, sustainability, and community. Each year, this extraordinary showcase transforms discarded denim into high-fashion masterpieces, challenging the perception of waste and inspiring a new generation of eco-conscious designers.
In recent years, reFABRICate has placed a spotlight on denim, an industry staple notorious for its environmental impact. By partnering with local organizations like Tempe Marketplace, Goodwill, Dave & Busters, and Green Living magazine, FABRIC mobilizes the community to repurpose unwanted denim clothing and cutting room scraps.
These discarded items are then given new life in the hands of talented designers like Demetrius Douglas, a local emerging talent and the winner of the reFABRICat “RunzWithScissors” award. Douglas, whose winning piece he calls “Denim Vest Trench Cloak,” wanted to design something wearable yet eye-catching. Douglas says that he wanted “a piece that could be practical in the right setting but also appreciated as art.”
Although he grew up with a “deep passion for fashion,” Douglas notes that he’s only been officially designing since May 2023, when he began what he calls an “antisocial experiment.”
“I made a deliberate choice to buy a sewing machine, retreat from the world, and focus on creating,” he said. “I didn’t design with trends or public opinion in mind; instead, I dedicated myself to crafting pieces that resonate with my unique sense of art and expression.”
reFABRICate’s “RunzWithScissors” award is a tribute to the late Astrid Olafsen, a visionary sustainable fashion designer deeply committed to FABRIC’s mission. Olafsen’s legacy lives on through this award, which recognizes creativity and talent that proves sustainability can be synonymous with style.
As an event overall, reFABRICate strives to be more than a fashion show, inspiring a call to action for individuals and businesses to rethink consumption and embrace circular economy principles. By showcasing the incredible potential of upcycled denim, the event proves that fashion can be both beautiful and responsible.
