The Creative Romantic 

Jeanette Diebold of Telford

Day job: Digital/Creative Strategist for Diebold Consulting & Art Director for the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association

Why did you decide to enter the Avant Garde category of the redesign competition?

I wanted to create a unique design, which was indicative to this category. I attended Millersville University for Commercial Art and my professors would always comment that I possessed the ability to look at things from a different perspective. They said I had a sense for the dramatic in my style and consistently thought outside the box.

How much did you spend on materials to create the redesign item?

The total for both of the items I purchased at Goodwill was $5.25. The purple suede fabric and vintage lace were materials I had in my personal stash. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

Several things inspired my garment. My love of reading and books mixed with my family’s treasured vintage textiles, ribbons and notions from my grandfather’s designs and work with Foundation Garments for the Venus label.

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

Designing and constructing a garment made from a variety of materials, such as paper, is a challenge. There is less give and durability than traditional fabrics offer. 

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

The audience and crowd participation. It is phenomenal to see and hear the excitement and energy of the crowd when you are wearing your garment on stage. Each year the event draws a larger audience for the runway show and redesign competition. I appreciate that the Goodwill Company and stores give back to the community. The success of the entire event is due in part to the hard work of all the volunteers, attendees and sponsors. 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

Yes, I go to my local Goodwill store monthly with donations and I have recently started shopping there more frequently. It was all the great finds from the Fashion Show, and the garments I modeled, that fueled my interest. Plus, I still receive compliments on the Trina Turk dress I modeled and then purchased at last year’s show. Goodwill is an everyday trunk show store that inspires creativity and style. 

 

Classic Remix Master

Rebecca Botvin of Wyomissing

Day Job: Registrar at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education

Why did you decide to enter the Men’s Shirt Remix category of the redesign competition?

I decided that this was the year that I would challenge myself to do something outside my comfort zone. I own my own business, Becca Bee Designs, and I focus exclusively on children's clothing and toys. Designing and sewing for an adult demographic can be very intimidating because fashion is subjective for different body types, styles and sizes. 

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

I spent $65 combined from the Goodwill store and notions from a craft store. Since the scale of my gown design was large, it required 15 men's dress shirts, a set of curtains used for the dress lining and a finished crinoline to give the gown body. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

I wanted to show how a classic men's dress shirt could transform into a wedding gown with a little creativity.  

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

The biggest challenge of my design was finding enough dress shirts in the right color palette and deciding how to combine the different shades and textures into one cohesive dress. Several trips to Goodwill later, I settled on stripes of various widths for the skirt and a solid color bodice to pull the gown together.

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

I love that I get to go with a group of friends and have a fantastic night out. It's a great event for a wonderful cause and the organization's community involvement is admirable. It's unlike anything else in the area, and I look forward to it every year.

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find? 

I shop there almost exclusively for my middle school-aged child and myself. Since I am able to alter clothing, Goodwill is the best store on the planet. I can find name-brand items, funky one-of-a-kind things, and classic pieces that will last for years. I have two excellent finds from a trip to Goodwill: a vintage pair of hand-sewn cowboy boots and the exact Anthropologie sweater that my daughter wanted the previous year.

 

The Artistic Fashionista

Hayley Linette of Ephrata

Day job: Owner of HayleyLinetteArt.com

Why did you decide to enter the Social Media Fan Favorite category of the redesign competition?

My future sister-in-law told me about the Redesign Challenge and suggested I enter the competition. I had never heard of it, so I decided to share my talent and love for redesigning & revamping old or basic pieces by entering the contest. 

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

I am an artist, painter, designer and all-around fashionista. My personal style and aesthetic consist of mixing staple pieces with trendy pieces and adding bold accessories. I already redesign shoes for others and myself. I knew exactly what I wanted when I was shopping at the Goodwill store. I spent $22 total on the heels, clutch, paint and protective spray to apply to my one-of-a-kind design. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

The inspiration came from my love of matching my shoes and clutches. Often, trying to find a match in regular stores and boutiques is difficult or next to impossible, so I decided to do what I do best and show off my unique sense of style and love of patterns, bright colors and dramatic shapes in my redesign.  

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

I found I had so much fun with the challenge because I was doing what I love. There honestly were no negative aspects to the challenge for me. 

 What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

I enjoyed everything about the show! I enjoyed meeting the other re-designers, models, staff and audience. However, the best part of the contest and show was getting to show off my artistic design skills by doing what I love to do most! 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

All the time! My fiancé would say I pretty much live there. It might sound silly, but my most prized Goodwill find is a plain grey men's t-shirt that I wear all the time! It is so comfortable and goes with everything, plus you can never go wrong with a staple piece like a t-shirt paired with one of my fabulous clutch and shoe redesigns.

 

The Eclectic Trend Setter 

Kirsten Irwin of Reading

Day job: Program Coordinator of Resale & Reuse Services for Opportunity House

Why did you decide to enter the Accessories category of the redesign competition?

I have always enjoyed making clothing and accessories as a hobby. When I heard about the Redesign Challenge, I decided to enter the competition.  

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

To execute my handbag design, I used a perforated leather skirt, four orange-striped placemats, a man's vintage plaid suit coat, a magnetic closure from the inside of an old purse, and a wide belt with grommets. All purchased at the Goodwill store for a total of $17.

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

The inspiration for the handbag design came from the first item I found at the Goodwill store: the perforated brown leather skirt. I really wanted to create something I could use on a regular basis. So I decided to design a classic shaped bag and use the leather and orange-striped lining for a fun, fashion-forward piece. 

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

The most challenging part of my redesign was sewing the leather, which I had to do by hand. 

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

My favorite part of the competition was the ability to meet and connect with fellow sewing and crafting fans. 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

Yes. Moreover, I am always amazed at the abundant selection of gently worn designer items. I have so many great finds from travels to Goodwill that, honestly,
I cannot pick just one favorite. I love them all. 

The Creative Romantic 

Jeanette Diebold of Telford

Day job: Digital/Creative Strategist for Diebold Consulting & Art Director for the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association

Why did you decide to enter the Avant Garde category of the redesign competition?

I wanted to create a unique design, which was indicative to this category. I attended Millersville University for Commercial Art and my professors would always comment that I possessed the ability to look at things from a different perspective. They said I had a sense for the dramatic in my style and consistently thought outside the box.

How much did you spend on materials to create the redesign item?

The total for both of the items I purchased at Goodwill was $5.25. The purple suede fabric and vintage lace were materials I had in my personal stash. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

Several things inspired my garment. My love of reading and books mixed with my family’s treasured vintage textiles, ribbons and notions from my grandfather’s designs and work with Foundation Garments for the Venus label.

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

Designing and constructing a garment made from a variety of materials, such as paper, is a challenge. There is less give and durability than traditional fabrics offer. 

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

The audience and crowd participation. It is phenomenal to see and hear the excitement and energy of the crowd when you are wearing your garment on stage. Each year the event draws a larger audience for the runway show and redesign competition. I appreciate that the Goodwill Company and stores give back to the community. The success of the entire event is due in part to the hard work of all the volunteers, attendees and sponsors. 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

Yes, I go to my local Goodwill store monthly with donations and I have recently started shopping there more frequently. It was all the great finds from the Fashion Show, and the garments I modeled, that fueled my interest. Plus, I still receive compliments on the Trina Turk dress I modeled and then purchased at last year’s show. Goodwill is an everyday trunk show store that inspires creativity and style. 

 

Classic Remix Master

Rebecca Botvin of Wyomissing

Day Job: Registrar at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education

Why did you decide to enter the Men’s Shirt Remix category of the redesign competition?

I decided that this was the year that I would challenge myself to do something outside my comfort zone. I own my own business, Becca Bee Designs, and I focus exclusively on children's clothing and toys. Designing and sewing for an adult demographic can be very intimidating because fashion is subjective for different body types, styles and sizes. 

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

I spent $65 combined from the Goodwill store and notions from a craft store. Since the scale of my gown design was large, it required 15 men's dress shirts, a set of curtains used for the dress lining and a finished crinoline to give the gown body. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

I wanted to show how a classic men's dress shirt could transform into a wedding gown with a little creativity.  

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

The biggest challenge of my design was finding enough dress shirts in the right color palette and deciding how to combine the different shades and textures into one cohesive dress. Several trips to Goodwill later, I settled on stripes of various widths for the skirt and a solid color bodice to pull the gown together.

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

I love that I get to go with a group of friends and have a fantastic night out. It's a great event for a wonderful cause and the organization's community involvement is admirable. It's unlike anything else in the area, and I look forward to it every year.

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find? 

I shop there almost exclusively for my middle school-aged child and myself. Since I am able to alter clothing, Goodwill is the best store on the planet. I can find name-brand items, funky one-of-a-kind things, and classic pieces that will last for years. I have two excellent finds from a trip to Goodwill: a vintage pair of hand-sewn cowboy boots and the exact Anthropologie sweater that my daughter wanted the previous year.

 

The Artistic Fashionista

Hayley Linette of Ephrata

Day job: Owner of HayleyLinetteArt.com

Why did you decide to enter the Social Media Fan Favorite category of the redesign competition?

My future sister-in-law told me about the Redesign Challenge and suggested I enter the competition. I had never heard of it, so I decided to share my talent and love for redesigning & revamping old or basic pieces by entering the contest. 

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

I am an artist, painter, designer and all-around fashionista. My personal style and aesthetic consist of mixing staple pieces with trendy pieces and adding bold accessories. I already redesign shoes for others and myself. I knew exactly what I wanted when I was shopping at the Goodwill store. I spent $22 total on the heels, clutch, paint and protective spray to apply to my one-of-a-kind design. 

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

The inspiration came from my love of matching my shoes and clutches. Often, trying to find a match in regular stores and boutiques is difficult or next to impossible, so I decided to do what I do best and show off my unique sense of style and love of patterns, bright colors and dramatic shapes in my redesign.  

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

I found I had so much fun with the challenge because I was doing what I love. There honestly were no negative aspects to the challenge for me. 

 What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

I enjoyed everything about the show! I enjoyed meeting the other re-designers, models, staff and audience. However, the best part of the contest and show was getting to show off my artistic design skills by doing what I love to do most! 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

All the time! My fiancé would say I pretty much live there. It might sound silly, but my most prized Goodwill find is a plain grey men's t-shirt that I wear all the time! It is so comfortable and goes with everything, plus you can never go wrong with a staple piece like a t-shirt paired with one of my fabulous clutch and shoe redesigns.

 

The Eclectic Trend Setter 

Kirsten Irwin of Reading

Day job: Program Coordinator of Resale & Reuse Services for Opportunity House

Why did you decide to enter the Accessories category of the redesign competition?

I have always enjoyed making clothing and accessories as a hobby. When I heard about the Redesign Challenge, I decided to enter the competition.  

How much did you spend on materials to create the original item?

To execute my handbag design, I used a perforated leather skirt, four orange-striped placemats, a man's vintage plaid suit coat, a magnetic closure from the inside of an old purse, and a wide belt with grommets. All purchased at the Goodwill store for a total of $17.

What was the inspiration for your redesign piece?

The inspiration for the handbag design came from the first item I found at the Goodwill store: the perforated brown leather skirt. I really wanted to create something I could use on a regular basis. So I decided to design a classic shaped bag and use the leather and orange-striped lining for a fun, fashion-forward piece. 

Tell me what challenges your redesign project presented along the way.

The most challenging part of my redesign was sewing the leather, which I had to do by hand. 

What did you enjoy most about the Fashion Show?

My favorite part of the competition was the ability to meet and connect with fellow sewing and crafting fans. 

Do you regularly shop and donate at your local Goodwill store? If so, what is your most prized find?

Yes. Moreover, I am always amazed at the abundant selection of gently worn designer items. I have so many great finds from travels to Goodwill that, honestly,
I cannot pick just one favorite. I love them all. 

by Elaine Fioravanti | photos by Tania Colamarino, Ama Photography