Earth Month
By Kelly Magee
Who would have thought that clothing made out of garbage could raise $4,000 in a month? Juliana Koutouzakis did! She is a hairstylist at Panache Salon in St. Augustine and the creator of Earth Month Boutique who makes clothing out of recycled materials.
Panache and Juliana created the Love Your Mother Eco-Fashion show that started in 2007.
The success of the show inspired Juliana to create the Earth Month Boutique. She makes clothing that's not for the runway, but things that people could actually buy and take home with them. Last year, the boutique raised about $4,000 and went to the Matanzas Riverkeeper, Jen Lomberk.
“It was really great to see our dollars at work. We were able to see her [Lomberk] make trips to Tallahase to speak with legislators and the governor and was able to get some of the Florida Forever Funds allocated to save Fish Island from developers. I think that’s what’s great about donating your money locally because you actually get to see your dollars at work,” Koutouzakis said.
All of the clothing in the boutique is made from recycled and sustainable materials. Koutouzakis holds a t-shirt drive and makes clothing from old shirts and local crafters make bracelets out of bottles.
“I’m obsessed with sustainability and recycling things, and I get really excited about it. I don’t expect people to be as excited about it as I am, but they always surprise me. I think people want to be a part of it and I think people like to purchase things that make them feel good. I think because the pieces do come from surprising sources and that’s what makes it a little bit more fun,” Koutouzakis said.
The pieces in her Fashion Week runway shows are made from recycled from salon capes. She partnered with painter Mario Della Penta to create three couture pieces for the show on Friday, March 3.
“Juliana designed designed and put the dresses together. And they are not copies of anybody. They’re original. And I paint them, and create something different,” Della Penta said.
Earth Month’s runway show and designs are heavily influenced by music and Juliana has music being recorded just for her show.
“I’m a former musician. I used to play in coffee shops and bars a long time ago,” Juliana said. “I do love music, and that sort of 90s Brit-pop is influencing me right now. I feel like I want to be in a colorful, Manchester band’s video or something like that.”
Music has also influenced her work as a hairstylist. “Throughout the beauty industry we’re always influenced by music and by artists. I do believe that they set a tone for us that makes us want to create more,” Juliana said.
This will be the second year of the Earth Month Boutique and it will be open at the Panache Salon in St. Augustine from April 1 through 30.