Union City High School Students Win Regional Designer of the Year

Union City High School fashion students have been named Regional Designer of the Year for NY/USA at the Junk Kouture World Final, earning international recognition for their work in sustainable fashion.

Their winning design, Trapped Mermaid, created by Lisbeth Tavard and Isabella Vallejo, tells the story of a sea creature fighting to escape waste overtaking her home. Made from 70 discarded life jackets and 60 repurposed water bottles, the design transforms pollution into wearable art. The bright orange life jacket fabric forms the mermaid tail, while reshaped plastic bottles mimic barnacle-like textures, symbolizing coral reefs under threat.

Junk Kouture, the world’s largest youth sustainable fashion platform, celebrated the achievement, announcing that “Aqua Marina is crowned the Junk Kouture New York Designer of the Year 2024” and congratulating Tavard and Vallejo for their innovative work.

Union City High School shared its excitement, calling the competition “a challenge for students to push the boundaries of creativity and sustainability.” School officials praised the students for their “incredible dedication, talent, and hard work,” saying they were proud to see their designs recognized on an international stage. The school also credited Ms. Erazo, the fashion instructor, and the administration for their role in making opportunities like this possible.

The win comes two years after a controversy involving North Bergen High School students CJ King and Jazzlyn Vargas at the 2023 Junk Kouture World Final in Abu Dhabi. Their design, The Nightingale, was disqualified after Abu Dhabi authorities deemed it “culturally inappropriate” because King, a boy, was wearing a dress.