A Deeper Look into the Trashion Show

From trash bags to fire trucks, Lawrenceville’s annual Trashion Show is an experience you will never forget. The Sustainability Council holds numerous activities throughout January, dubbed “Sustainuary,” in effort to raise awareness about sustainability, but the Trashion Show uniquely garners school-wide engagement. Many students play a part in bringing the show to life, whether as an artist, model, or an active audience member. Learning about sustainability and recycling may seem boring on the surface but the Trashion Show offers a fun learning experience for everyone. Indeed, the Trashion show is a unique tradition that entwines creativity and sustainability for an experience that you will never forget. 

Behind the scenes, the Sustainability Council works hard to organize the Trashion Show as one of the biggest Sustainability Council events of the year. Isha Poluru ’27, co-leader of  Sustainability Council’s House Committee, makes sure to plan activities related to the houses and assemble Sustainability Representatives for campus events. Poluru has many tasks  to oversee, from “organizing models” to “getting judges and MC’s for the runway.” 

For many years Lawrenceville has turned the Trashion show into a true fashion show. One of the most unique costumes Poluru has seen was during her freshman year, when “Dawes [House] made a beautiful dress out of old test papers.” Poluru explains that the costume “reflected the reality of school” where students are piled with tests and assignments and do not  think about the environmental effects of using excess paper. 

Riley McKibben ’25, Student Council Sustainability Representative believes that the Trashion Show is the perfect opportunity for Lawrentians to “engage [with] the community” while learning about sustainability and recycling. McKibben emphasizes that “the purpose is for [everyone] to get involved in sustainability whether through big or small roles.” By participating in this exciting event, all houses will be able to understand how to reuse items we normally throw out. As a III Former, McKibben modelled for the Trashion Show,“her first time being on the Kirby Art Center Stage.” 

The Trashion show is an ideal place to get out of your comfort zone. McKibben adds, “it was fun to see people’s different skill sets.” If you are a budding artist, fashion connoisseur or want to be part of a team effort, working alongside your peers may help you learn something you never knew about them. McKibbens advises students to “do things [they] would never expect,” like when she “used an old English class reader to make a skirt.” Using unconventional items unlike cardboard will make the process for fun and will make your costume truly stand out. A stand out costume McKibben has seen was when McClellan House had a “fire truck outfit and the model had a little fire truck hat” it was the “cutest thing ever.” McKibben has also seen “bird costumes” and even a few “gladiators.” To win this competition, houses need to get creative and go above and beyond. 

With Lawrenceville's greater efforts in recent years to commit to sustainability, the Trashion show is a way to bring the community together while learning about what it means to be sustainable on a house level.