Youthreach students in Mayo develop Junk Kouture piece

Students from Youthreach Kiltimagh have created a Junk Kouture design titled ‘Bloom Again - Break the Silence’, a piece that uses sustainable fashion to explore themes around mental health awareness and suicide prevention. 

The design was developed by a student, Mollie Byrne (modelling the piece), Benedict Crowe, and Anne Talberga. The project was supported by Youthreach educators Geraldine Doherty and Adrian Mangan (all pictured above).

Pictured is Mollie Byrne wearing the 'Bloom Again - Break the Silence' piece. Photo credit: Alison Laredo 

'Bloom Again - Break the Silence' is constructed from reclaimed materials and follows the Junk Kouture competition’s focus on sustainability and creative reuse. The design features a structured, enclosed form at its base, intended to represent silence, stigma and the experience of feeling unheard. As the piece opens, colour and floral elements emerge, symbolising hope, recovery and the possibility of change. This design is about reminding people that even in the darkest moments, they are not alone.

The project aims to encourage discussion around mental health and to challenge stigma by presenting the topic through visual storytelling and fashion.

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