Local Athens groups are coming together to give some unknown fashion designers a little recognition.

Olives and Wax is a vintage store known around Athens for its repurposed clothing. Founder of Olives and Wax. Lindsey Haddad partnered with My Athens to bring awareness to sustainable fashion and emerging designers in the Athens area. At the Repurposing Project event one designer was especially proud to show off her work because while she is not like most designers, she still wants her name to be a big name in the fashion world one day.

“It’s my first year,” says  Amerius Mitchell, designer at the Repurposing Project.

Amerius is still in middle school, but she is able to begin working towards her dream thank stop the Young Designers Sewing Club. This after school program teaches local girls how to hand-make clothing.

“We have, i think, fourteen new girls that had never sewn at all and that fashion show was coming up very quickly so they just had to jump in, learn the machines and put together new garments from old garments without having any true instruction on sewing. And they did a wonderful job,” says Lillian Kincey, Director of the Young Designers Sewing Club.

The girls were able to strut many of their own pieces this past Sunday on April 3 at the Repurposing Project held by My Athens and Olives and Wax. Other designers of all ages and talents competed against each other in hopes of winning best look of the night. Each of the designers was given a random assortment of items including coats, jackets and shoes to assemble into a new piece.

The partnership between My Athens and Olive Vintage was created to highlight the creative work of Athens’ designers of all ages. My Athens is planning on hosting another fashion show this fall focused on local designers.