35 designs selected for Junk Kouture Grand Final 2021
What do Marie Antoinette, the Aztecs and Brennan’s Bread all have in common? They all served as inspiration for this year’s 35 Junk Kouture Grand Finalists who are hoping they can win over the judges and be crowned the overall winner of the 2021 competition. From an outfit inspired by the Celtic Goddess of the forest and woodland animals made from pinecones and conkers, to emulating legends of design Jean Paul Gaultier and Janelle Monáe by weaving together seatbelts and an old tent, this year’s finalists certainly know how to turn Junk into Kouture.
As always there are many important and poignant messages behind the designs that have made the cut for the prestigious final round. The colourful Coatlicue design from students at Castlepollard Community College in Co Westmeath has channelled a fearsome Aztec deity who symbolises earth worship to urge us to allow the world to heal from the damage done by human neglect and abuse, while the topical Covid-19 pandemic also features as Presentation Secondary School Thurles in Co Tipperary shine a light on the struggles caused by Covid and hidden disabilities creating a warrior-themed outfit using contact lenses holders, injection holders, tablet blister packets and Pentasa sachets.
The Junk Kouture judging panel has finally decided on the 35 winning designs that will compete in the Grand Final later this year. An insider revealed the judges almost missed their deadline as they were so overwhelmed with the incredible standard this year and found it almost impossible to decide on who should go through, with drawn out deliberations from Louis Walsh and Michelle Visage. Fortunately for all entrants the judges, including new judge Roz Purcell made a unanimous decision and the seven entrants from each region were selected.
Without further ado Junk Kouture, Powered by RTÉ and supported by the Creative Ireland Programme is delighted and excited to announce this year’s Grand Final line-up… drumroll please…
From the Southeast:
| Iconoclastic Fantastic – Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford | |
| Bean Laochra Gael – Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford | |
| Life’s a Circus – Gorey Community School, Co. Wexford | |
| Alarming Twists – Mountrath Community School, Co. Laois | |
| Plastic Waves – Loreto Catholic Girl’s Secondary School, Co. Wicklow | |
| Wooden Warrior – Creagh College, Co. Wexford | |
| Got Milk? – Presentation Secondary School, Co. Wexford |
From the North:
| Flanders Field – Wellington School, Ayr | |
| Cereuleum – Carndonagh Community School, Co. Donegal | |
| Inside Out – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim | |
| Espoir – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim | |
| Halcyon Heist – Scoil Mhuire Buncrana, Co. Donegal | |
| Danū – Bailieborough Community School, Co. Cavan | |
| Dissociated Society – The Victor Hugo School, Paris | |
From the South:
| The New Different – Coláiste Nano Nagle, Co. Limerick | |
| Ephemeral Bloom – Coláiste Nano Nagle, Co. Limerick | |
| Primadonna – Kinsale Community School, Co. Cork | |
| Divoc-91 – Presentation Secondary School Thurles, Co. Tipperary | |
| Let them Eat Cake, Duh! – Sacred Heart Secondary School Clonakilty, Co. Cork | |
| Culchie Life – Villiers School, Co. Limerick | |
| Party Poppers – Mount Saint Michael’s Secondary School, Co. Cork |
From the West:
| Coatlicue – Castlepollard Community College, Co. Westmeath | |
| Jeaneology – Moate Community School, Co. Westmeath | |
| Netiquette – Moate Community School, Co. Westmeath | |
| Save the Image – Cnoc Mhuire Secondary School, Co. Longford | |
| Gold Cobra – Scoil Bhríde | |
| V.I.Pea – Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Co. Westmeath | |
| It’s all About the Package – Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Co. Westmeath |
From the East:
| 頌歌大龍 (‘Songge Da Long’) – Dundalk Grammar School, Co. Louth | |
| Pleasures of the World – St. Mary’s Catholic College Naas, Co. Kildare | |
| Maraja – St. Mary’s Catholic College Naas, Co. Kildare | |
| Blast from the Past – St. Joseph of Cluny Secondary School, Dublin | |
| Let Them Eat Bread – Mount Sackville Secondary School, Co. Dublin | |
| Nightingale – Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Co. Dublin | |
| Flames of Fury – Dunshaughlin Community College, Co. Meath |
For those who do not qualify today, all is not lost as they may be thrown a lifeline to represent their school at the Grand Final with the RTÉ Junk Kouture Wildcard selection. Junk Kouture is delighted to reveal the remaining five final spaces have been awarded to one team from each of the five regions, with the announcement made exclusively on RTÉ social media account @explorerte at 12.00 noon, Wednesday 30th.
While it has been a challenging year for everyone, there has been no shortage of enthusiasm and extraordinary design talent among this year’s Junk Kouture entries, we cannot wait to see the final 40 finalists strut their stuff at the Grand Final this year.
And if you would like to check out the students modelling their winning creations set to compete in this year’s final check out the Junk Kouture YouTube channel. Stay up to speed with all things Junk Kouture over on their Instagram account @junkkouture, or download the Junk Kouture app, available for both Android and iOS.