Designers turn Goodwill finds into fashion-forward outfits

An upcoming fashion show in Fort Worth will put aspiring designers in the spotlight as they do something good to benefit Goodwill North Central Texas.

"These designers come up with the most exciting and extravagant looks using unconventional materials from Goodwill stores," said Shay Gipson, Vice-President of Community Engagement.

What are those unconventional materials? "They're using adult diapers.
They're using suitcases, trampolines, paintings, records, and putting garments together," Gipson said.

features 15 competitors with enough vision and talent to turn whatever they find in the aisles of Goodwill stores into runway masterpieces. They've all competed before and were invited back in celebration of the event's 10th year.

They each had $150 to spend and had regular check-ins with organizers leading up to the big fashion show next Thursday, April 17th.

funds the nonprofit's programs and gives aspiring designers a chance to win cash and boost careers.

"That part is harder because I don't really have, like, the outreach, so that's why I love competitions like this because it's, like, home-based, local, and you get to meet people. You get to, like, extend your reach, your name," said competitor Jade Washington.

Washington picked up cotton rounds and a pair of strappy black sandals as she envisioned an outfit based on time travel.

"I don't know if I wanted to do more back into the past or into the future," she said as she held the sandals for a closer look. "So, I'm trying to find like metallics and shiny things now, and I know that I can like change the color, change the heel, you know, work a lot with these because the base is set steady."

"We just need to like go all out, like go really big if possible, but creative with the items that we can find," said Anai Alvarez, who is back for her third year.

"My first year that I participated in my unconventional item was lampshades, so I found 17 lampshades and I made a gown out of them," she said. Alvarez studied fashion design, freelancing in fashion design, creating looks for herself and items she can sell in an online marketplace.

"You've got people that actually work in the fashion industry, people who have their own fashion collections, students, teachers, art teachers, engineers, just folks that like to create, and so this gives them a really great outlet," Gipson said as she talked about the competitors.

The fashion show helps the designers get exposure, and it exposes guests, "to the people and the faces that Goodwill helps and supports," she said. Goodwill offers 28 programs and services available to veterans, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, people facing homelessness, and people coming out of incarceration.

"So they're gonna get to see and meet and interact with folks like that who can tell them every time you shop at Goodwill, every time you donate, you are really helping change lives," Gipson said.

Project Goodwill All Stars is on Thursday, April 17th, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth. Tickets are .