The ecoFab Lady.

This weekend, trash hits the fashion runway at the Crown Plaza in Uptown Charlotte. I am not commenting on the quality of costumes but the composition. The ecoFab Trash Couture Fashion Show will run from 7-10 p.m. on Saturday May 4 and feature couture made from at least 25% recycled materials, with the remaining percentage comprised of reused, repurposed or sustainable materials. This wearable art will be made out of materials like paper, bottle caps, scrap metal, burlap, plastic and who knows what else.

EcoFab Trash Couture is an effort by the Art Ecologie movement, a group of artists led by Flavia Lovatelli and Marcee Musgrove, who all share a common passion for recycled, upcycled and repurposed art. It’s not so much about the fashion for Art Ecologie as it is about creating wearable art that melds visual art, fashion and performance art with sustainability in mind.  EcoFab is just their first initiative.

“Queen Charlotte” by Marynel Watters in the upcoming ecoFab Trash Couture Show 2013.

The fashion show will feature pre-show activities, a post-show meet-and-greet with the designers and light hors-d’oeuvres. Twenty-three working artists are involved in creating wearable art for the show. VIP admission is $49 per ticket and includes front-row seating, a drink voucher, swag bag and hand-painted glass, while general admission is $35 a ticket and includes upcycled lanyards with zed cards.