Photos by Neshan H. Naltchayan
“Goodwill of Greater Washington announced that Giselle Carillo of Alexandria, VA is the winner of their “Be a Goodwill Fashion Designer” DIY contest, receiving more than 30% of the nearly 500 votes cast.
She presented her custom design at the Fashion of Goodwill Runway Show and Gala at the Italian Embassy. Entitled La Passione di Milano (The Passion of Milan), the event immersed guests in a night of Italian splendor and fashion.
Entries were whittled down to three finalists by judges, and posted online at fashionofgoodwill.org for public voting, producing a 44% bump in traffic to the DC Goodwill Fashionista blog. Designers were required to begin their creations with item/s purchased from a Washington area Goodwill retail store, and to incorporate the La Passione di Milano theme.
Carillo cites Italian art and architecture as the inspiration for her winning look. “Being that the Renaissance was the process of rebirth, I found myself giving my garment the influence of classic Italian art with a modern twist,” said Carillo. “The construction of the garment mimicked that of the renaissance effect on the church, especially in the architecture…. The most important aspect of the garment is the drawing on the back, which was inspired by one of Di Vinci’s greatest drawings. The perfection of the human figure symbolizes the artistic influence to the Italian Renaissance.”
Goodwill of Greater Washington hosts its annual fashion show and gala to generate funding for its mission while also reinforcing the overall concept that quality fashions and apparel can indeed be found in Goodwill stores. The runway show showcased quality vintage and contemporary fashions available at Goodwill Retail Stores by mixing Italian influence with contemporary dance.
Goodwill of Greater Washington (GGW) transforms lives and communities through the power of education and employment. We fund that mission through the resale of donated goods at our DC area retail stores and online.” Goodwill
A look at the Runway:
