Sami Rapp photo: Students of the Fashion Merchandising Department will be presenting their annual fashion show.

On Thursday, May 2, the Fashion Merchandising Department will be unveiling their annual fashion show, with a theme that is set to up-cycle the crowds: re-purposed garments and “trashion,” which uses everyday waste and turns it into wearable garments.

The purpose of upcycling is to turn gently worn clothing into trendy pieces. Some of the garments include skirts made into scarves and button-down shirts turned into skirts.

The students of the Fashion Promotion course at Mercyhurst have also designed runway looks made with materials such as newspapers and magazines.

Junior Fashion Merchandising major Emily Isbell thinks that the idea of ‘going green’ is very fitting for the times.

“It’s something that everyone is into, regardless of their major or what they do. Recycling and going green have recently become important issues and we wanted to use that,” Isbell said.

The show, put together by fashion merchandising students and organized by fashion students, is a dramatic turn from the themes used in previous years, which were more geared towards the upscale, haute looks. The “trashion” theme, however, is a creative and very refreshing twist to the event.

Proceeds from the show will be donated to the Caring Closet, an Erie-based charity that provides clothing for needy families.

There will also be a raffle at the show, which students can partake in by purchasing tickets or donating garments for the organization.

Prizes include gift cards to the Mercyhurst bookstore, Teresa’s Deli, Corner Stone Bar and Grill, Little Caesars, Dairy Queen and Nail Creations as well as jewelry pieces by Courtney Simmelkjaer.

Tickets will be sold on Wednesday, May 1, at the Carolyn Hermann Student Union from 5 to 7 p.m. and on the day of the show. Prices are $3 for adults and $1 for students.

Refreshments, repurposed garments, transformed t-shirts and local vendors’ products will be available for purchase after the show.