Students are finalists in fashion design competition

Fox Chapel Area High School seniors Raina Guzman and Claire Conti qualified for the national Junk Kouture fashion design competition and were then named among the 10 United States finalists chosen to represent the country at the Junk Kouture World Final 2025. As part of the competition, Raina and Claire used crocheted plastic bags, Styrofoam egg cartons, and repurposed jewelry to create a dress titled “Ostara.” The 10 entries chosen for the World Final stood out for their ingenuity, storytelling and commitment to sustainability. The national competition, based out of New York, was held online in May.

Raina and Claire now move on to the World Final event that will be held in early 2026. Their entry was one of hundreds of student submissions nationwide. At worlds, Raina and Claire will compete alongside finalists from Milan, Paris, London, Dubai, Dublin and the United States. The location for the World Final has not yet been announced.

Additionally, last school year’s World Final qualifiers, seniors Lily McLaughlin and Ayla Ojanen, helped this year by senior Katie Siddons, also made it to the 2025 online national contest as part of the Junk Kouture competition.

Junk Kouture is a sustainable fashion competition open to students ages 13-19 that challenges young people to create high-fashion designs from 100% recycled materials. The creations showcase the creativity, innovation, and environmental consciousness driving the next generation of changemakers. The competition is organized by Junk Kouture Operations Ireland Ltd. and is the largest sustainable fashion competition for young people.