Trash Fashion - a short story

There were two things that Ella hated with a passion: trash and fashion. Both showed a lack of imagination. No-one thought about whether they could reuse something they just threw it away. No-one thought about their clothes. They all just bought whatever they saw in the windows of the High Street stores. Wore it for one season and then threw it into the trash.

Ella was a graphic designer, a frustrated artist. As she doodled ideas for yet another corporate client, she daydreamed about a more imaginative and useful future for herself. Perhaps trash and fashion could provide the key?

So she started to collect fabric from the trash: unwanted clothes; torn clothes; old curtains; fabric samples; faded cushion covers and worn-out towels. Not just fabric either but jewellery; accessories, anything sparkly, even bits of plastic that caught her eye.

Then she began to make clothes from the trash. Mixing and matching curtains and ribbons; chains and towels; beads and plastic scraps. Her friends loved her designs and told everyone about them. The local boutique put in a huge order. Ella needed to take on assistants. The local media caught on. There was demand for a show which in turn lead to stardom in the fashion world.

Ella was elated! Until she looked around and saw that everyone was wearing her designs. For one season and then throwing them in the trash.

(previously published in Issue 2 of Easily Inspired Magazine (which sadly no longer seems to exist))