McDonald’s Provides Inspiration for Miami International University Fashion Students

Fashion is an ever-changing business. Each season, clothing companies must come out with a new breakthrough hit utilizing colors, fabrics, hemlines, and even pop culture. Take, for instance, fashion company Moschino, which recently launched clothing lines inspired by Looney Tunes, Teddy bears, dinosaurs, and fast food.

Recently, fashion students at Miami International University of Art & Design took fashion one step further — using actual fast-food products as both inspiration and material. The students were challenged by a local McDonald’s franchisee to design and produce a fashion collection made entirely from McDonald’s food packaging.  

The students accepted the challenge and took to the studio to produce nearly two dozen items made from more than 4,600 sandwich wrappers, 1,770 French fry boxes, 600 to-go bags, 500 sandwich boxes, 200 soft drink cups, 500 ketchup holders, and 100 McFlurry cups. 

Marcia Gomez, director of campus relations at Miami International University of Art & Design, was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the dresses turned out. “We’ve had lots of positive feedback from the fashion. The students showed how talented they are.”

The finished designs, aptly named the McDCouture line, was shown as part of Funkshion Fashion Week Miami Beach at the Setai Hotel. The dresses range from day wear to ball gowns and were surprisingly wearable.
Pablo Machado was inspired to create a wearable Spanish bullfighter’s costume using the simplest of materials. The fashion student, who used straws and straw wrappers in his creation, said, “The most challenging part of designing the garment was actually cutting the wrappers to 20 pieces and adhering to the skirt one by one.” The one dress took him two weeks of work, day and night, to complete.

Stephanie Castanon’s cup dress features 20 McCafe cups, 30 hash brown containers, 150 Egg McMuffin wrappers, 200 breakfast burrito wrappers, 20 all-day-breakfast coupons, and one breakfast menu.
This red French fry number is the perfect festive dress for the holidays.
Kami Linos designed this evening gown from 30 fry boxes, 400 McChicken wrappers, and 500 white wrappers.
Big Mac and Quarter Pounder boxes create a bubble effect for this fetching frock. 
A cute cocktail dress is made from McDonald’s white Created for You sandwich wrappers.
Almost every fashion show’s finale involves an elaborate bridal gown, and the McDCouture show was no exception. Here, student Ricardo Hardouin created a confection using 900 white sandwich wrappers, 60 yellow sandwich wrappers, and 20 fry boxes.
If you missed the Funkshion show, the delicious fashions will also be displayed in the Miami International University of Art & Design campus’ fashion merchandising windows, located on the first floor of the school. The display should be up by the end of this week.