Photo by Adrian Schneider

Rayona has taken an 8' wide inverted swimming pool with PVC shower curtain earth map overlay and created this stunning Ball Gown in order to show how the ocean currents move and how they create the 5 major Oceanic Gyres and to illuminate the extreme grandure of the problem of plastic in our oceans. A gyre is any large system of rotating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements. These currents cause plastics, which will break down in the ocean... but never completely go away, to be pulled to their slowly rotating center, where they cannot escape. Consequently the concentration of plastics in these areas have already reached levels of 6 to one plastic particles to plankton. The sea creatures eat this, and in turn we eat them. Or, as in the case of the gray whale who beached itself in West Seattle in April 2010, they simply die from too much plastic crap in their bellies. (http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/CRC%20-%201035%20stomach%20content.pdf) Albatrosses regularly fly through these areas and mistakenly gather the plastic thinking it to be food, and bring it home 100s of miles to feed their babies, who then die from starvation, their bellies full of plastic. Most plastics leak toxic chemicals into the water system and this effects all living creatures, particularly our immune systems and our hormone levels. It's time for us to take a good hard look at how much plastic... particularly DISPOSABLE plastic we have in our daily lives... and make some changes to our habits, for the sake of all life on earth.
Rayona's plastic airbed bodice comes in the form of a crashing wave and her hair adornment is an Albatross created from a plastic bag, cardboard, clear tape and a bic lighter.....

Photo by Kristie Maxim

pay closer attention to the plight of the Albatross here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ri0RAsctYo
a video from the Midway Journey

Onstage at the 'Satire from the Gyre' Show August 2010 Nevada City, California

photo by Adrian Schneider

Photo by Doug Bulger
http://www.dougbulger.com

Photo by Dan Steiffel

Rayona models the first Gyre Gown at the 2010 Art of Trash Show in Hilo, Hawaii, at the "Satire from the Gyre" Show in Nevada City California, and the 2010 RE Store Trash Fashion Show in Seattle, Washington. The Gyre Gown is an educational ensemble designed to teach audiences about the growing problem of plastics in our oceans and waterways. All of the ocean washed trash adorning this gown was collected at Kamilo Beach on the south end of the Big Island of Hawaii. It comes from all over the world.

The River Raft Rendevous, created from a 2 man river raft found along the Willamette River outside Eugene, Oregon on a hike one summer, and carried for miles back to the car to create this gown worn by Rayona at the Junk to Funk Trash Fashion Competition in Portland 2006 Photos courtesy Junk to Funk

In the limelight

On tour with Aqua Chauatuqua
Photo by Anna Ramsey

Ready to set sail
Photo by Joshua Sage

my 2010 calander page
model: Erin McNamara
Photos by Rachel Olsson
More info visit http://www.hautetrash.org

Jasmine models the Bumbershoot (admissions gate) Table Skirt, tiered table skirting with deer netting bussle combined here with the Moisture Festival B&W Poster Corset. A Tribute to the Seattle Performing Arts Festivals. OCF 2009 Photo by John Cornicello
http://www.johncornicello.com

BJ shows the "bussle out back" of the Pride of Washington Burlap Seed-Potato Bags skirt and Faux Forest Green Velvet Jacket created from a flocked air bed skin. Hat was picked up off I-80 near Sacramento during bumper to bumper traffic. OCF 2009 Photo by John Cornicello

Sophie sports the latest summer sundress sensations... Chairwear! Designed from a broken folding striped canvas camp chair. Tiny top hat created from inverted cup holder. OCF 2009
Photo by Michelle Bates

Roy Charon in the Matrix Coat
Hilo, Hawaii 2010 Photo by Cher Glass

The Matrix coat created from a large Zipper and Buckle-on Nylon Roof Rack Carry-all pulled from the trash in front of a motel in Bend, Oregon, with it's blown out steel belted tire epaulets collected off I-5 just south of Tacoma on the same road trip which destroyed the designer suitcase used in the lower portion of the coat and in the next ensemble...
Bellingham RE Store Show 2009 Photos by Danny Gawlowsky of the Bellingham Herald.

Joselyn models "War Wear" with it's vest created from the skin of a designer suitcase that flew off Prima Debris' car roof rack on I-5 just south of Tacoma and an old army parachute skirt and matching tuban, the veil was crafted from the inner net pocket of the suitcase.
Seattle RE Store Show 2009
Photos by Jim Mercure mercurephoto.com

Rayona and the Chic' Sheik at Burning Man
Sheik Kenny wears the Matrix coat
while Rayona models War Wear
Photos by Kristie Maxim

Rayona and Holly fix the details before the show on the ReStore's recycled bowling alley floor runway. Rayona in the Chanel Garment Bag Gown and Holly In the Truck Tire Inner Tubes ensemble known as " Inner Tubes for the Outer You". 2003 Photo by Nikos

Back View
Gown was sewn entirely by hand with recycled threads.
Photo by Nikos

Chanel Garment Bag Gown 2009
w/Toaster Purse
Photo by John Cornicellow/ "Yuk" Fur coat crafted from discarded Santa Hair and Beards
Photo by John Cornicello

w/ little black Chanel bag and styrofoam pear cozy cuffs
Photo courtesy of Bellingham Herald

To see Janice Dickinson wearing the Chanel Garment Bag Dress
and other Haute Trash on the Hollywood Green Carpet Runway
as featured on her TV show in fall of 2008, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tow1BUmFiE

Inner Tubes for the Outer You
Holly wears an old truck tire inner tube as a jacket and another one as a skirt on the ReStore recycled bowling alley lane runway 2003. Photo by Nikos

Rayona in the Pond Liner ensemble and the truck tire inner tube jacket
at the ReStore Gala 2007. Photo by Nikos

Erin backstage and rockin' the runway at Habitude in the Pond Liner ensemble 2006
Photo by Kristie Maxim