If the residents of the Irelands were concerned over the amount of possibly homeless youths rummaging through dumpsters over the course of last winter – no worries, it’s for fashion! The "Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture", or BOIJK for short, is a competition open to all secondary school students who see potential in literally anything. Aspiring designers are called upon to forage through everyday junk and combine fashion design, engineering and environmental sustainability to create wearable art.

This ninth edition of the recycled fashion competition will select 75 “outrageous couture designs” for the final showdown in May 2019. Two of the BOIJK semi-finalists are pictured here – "Cinematic" was made with VHS tapes, DVDs, light-fitting crystals and old keyboards, and the "Don't Fence Me In" design is outfitted with black tyre inner tubing and plastic fencing for the dress itself with the headpiece – surprise, surprise? – made of galvanised piping and tubing insulation. The titles of some of the other pieces – such as Peeking Blinders, Rome-ing in d-Nile, Eat, Sleep, Shoot, Repeat and, interestingly, Plastic Fantastic – can only hint at the results of previously mentioned dumpster diving. This is, perhaps, the first time in history that a designer would not erupt in red-faced indignation at hearing the words “That’s rubbish!”

In other haute couture news, British-American actress Rachel Weisz attended the 2019 Academy Awards in a red dress sporting a – probably not recycled – latex crop top. Ms. Weisz usually looks fantastic without breaking a sweat – but considering the choice of material, this time we’re not so sure.