Sustainable Bainbridge celebrates 10 years of ReFashion Show
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 28, 2026
The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art hosted the 10th annual ReFashion Show April 26. ReFashion is a program with Sustainable Bainbridge with the purpose of showcasing the creativity of reuse and repurposing wearable and inspirational apparel.
20 artists came together with eclectic designs from recycled materials, showcased on models that walked the runway. All of the creators have participated in the show several times. There are currently a few pieces at Bainbridge Arts & Crafts in downtown Winslow. The categories for this year’s show were Pants and Pockets and Birthday Party.
Designer McKayla SewNsew shared that this year is her eighth year participating in the community event. Her daughter, who is just 15, has been a designer as well for the last four years in the show after walking as a model for Sewnsew her first year participating in 2018.
SewNsew is a Pacific Northwest-based fiber artist who creates one-of-a-kind garments and textile-based art installations, working in the realms of costumes, wedding dresses, and apparel sold in boutiques from Vancouver to Los Angeles. “Growing up on Bainbridge, the ReFashion Show holds a special place in my heart as a venue for creation due to the community support of ReFashion Bainbridge to educate the public about textile waste and offer ways to get active within the island,” she said. “Between their work with Rotary, the local clothing swaps and the ReFashion Show itself, they are working to promote sustainable fashion and that is the heart of my work.”
SewNsew’s designs can be seen crafted with bubble wrap, a parachute, polyfill, discarded ballerina tutus, obsolete tech cables, and more. She searches thrift stores for clothing treasures in need of repurposing, she shared, as do many of the other artists featured at ReFashion.
The event was organized by Naomi Spinak, the head of ReFashion Bainbridge. In 2022, the Bainbridge Trashion Show evolved into what it is today, ReFashion, and was awarded the COBI Cultural Arts Funding Grant under her leadership. Spinak is also an award-winning artist, with repurposed and activist artwork nationwide. She is also currently serving on the Washington Department of Ecology’s Workgroup to plan a textile-focused symposium on waste management.
Not only did the event showcase a runway show, but the event began with a cocktail hour, followed by hors d’oeuvres, jazz music by The Flamingos, and a jewelry swap where attendees could bring jewelry they no longer wear to swap with others and find a new, special piece for themselves.
Dominique Cantwell hosted the event for the third year in a row. She works as the executive director emeritus of Bainbridge Performing Arts, as well as being a nonprofit consultant, partnering with organizations on strategy, leadership development, and progressive resource development. Cantwell has also taught Public Narrative at the Harvard Kennedy School, and was honored as a 2020 ‘Island Treasure’ for her contributions to the Bainbridge Island community, as she continues to serve on the Scripps College Board of Trustees.
Bainbridge High School senior Dolly Courtway also served as an announcer at the show. Courtway can be seen on the BPA stage often and is also well known for her involvement on the BHS rowing team. She will be attending the University of Washington in the fall.
