BRUNSWICK

Christine DeTroy Jr. of Dresden has been the director and producer of the Mid-coast Altered Couture Contest since she started the event eight years ago. Part-reality show, part-local fashion extravaganza, Altered Couture brings local designers from throughout the community to create garments inspired by a central theme to a live audience and panel of judges.

This year’s contest is expected to feature 24 local designers creating garments around the theme of “Culture Couture” and will again focus on recyclable and re-purposed materials.

The event takes place at the Fort Andross Winter Market, adjacent to Cabot Mill Antiques, on Saturday, May 19 from 6-8 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit Mayo Street Arts, whose mission is to strengthen its neighborhood and community by providing a vibrant, safe and inspiring center for the arts, and to engage neighborhood youths of diverse cultural communities in quality learning experiences in the visual, performing and literary arts.

Recently, DeTroy took a few moments away from preparing for the show to speak with The Times Record about the event’s inception, the role of the community and the nature of diversity.

The Times Record: How did the Mid-coast Altered Couture Contest come about?

Christine DeTroy: I was a self-employed house cleaner and had time to muse — I’m a creative thinker. I had seen “Project Runway,” where they compete over designing garments before a panel of judges. I liked the concept, but what I didn’t like was that it was mean-spirited, because it’s reality TV.

I thought about how fun it would be to create a local event in the community, and make it more about being spirited and fun. It didn’t have to have just artists or professional seamstresses. It didn’t have to have models that were eight-feet-tall and 110 pounds.

It’s open to everybody, regardless of ability, size, shape or gender. The designers are allowed to sew it, glue it, staple it, tape it, however they can put their garments together. I wanted to create something that was inclusive, not exclusive.

TR: Tell me about some of the designers who have participated in the past.

CD: We have a weaver who raised sheep and made her garment using the wool gathered from the sheep she raises. We have another weaver — Susan Perrine is a weaver who lives in Woolwich and she is known for these incredible twig structures all around Maine. We have a Spindleworks team who have sent an enthusiastic team every year, and they’ll be here again.

We have had teams from Brunswick Junior High School. Art Van will have participants.

We have a mother-daughter team.

TR: You’ve done this for eight years. In that time has there been any one thing that’s surprised you?

CD: One particular design I think about was done by a young woman who designed a piece with her sister the year we had Color Couture. She took paint swatches and created a beautiful flapper-style dress. It was pretty phenomenal. That is really couture.

TR: What have you learned about this community of designers in the last eight years?

CD: To have an incredible amount of patience (laughs). It’s like herding cats. Often, I nurture them along. Sometimes they’ll sign up with enthusiasm but then get cold feet. Now I know what teachers go through.

A big part of this is being patient and encouraging.

TR: What can we expect at this month’s event?

CD: This year is poignant because the challenge theme is “Culture Couture.” It’s a celebration of Maine’s diversity. It recognizes that diversity is here and we either embrace it or we’re going to be left out in the field. Diversity is open for interpretation. I made it a point not to tell people what diversity is. Diversity might be something personal, something they align with geographically or spiritually or whatever they interpret as diversity. It’ll be quite an amazing show because there will be 25 people that are left with the liberty to express their idea of diversity.

TR: That can become a sensitive topic, because there’s been an awareness of cultural appropriation — “my culture’s not your costume.” Are you braced for any of that?

CD: This is an event that celebrates the diversity within our own community. It’s so fun, so spirited.… There’s such joy in the sharing. I suppose if you got down to the nitty gritty, we would probably show up in nothing, because we’ve all appropriated something along the way, whether we know it or not. Listening to bluegrass music — that came from somewhere.

I’m trying to present something where folks are celebrating diversity instead of naming and shaming or blaming. I respect the designers have an inherent respect for what they’re contributing.

TR: Why focus on recyclable and re-purposed materials?

CD: Just look around. You get an indication as to where we’re headed if we don’t pay more attention to recycling. That’s always been a piece of it, and I hope it encourages people to go to second-hand stores and to go to Goodwill and think outside the box when they’re creating something.

TR: Why was Mayo Street Arts chosen as a beneficiary?

CD: I was trying to choose something that has a connection to culture and art. Every year, my request is that it has to go to an art/youth-based program. I typically raise around $2,000, but it has to go to scholarships or materials used in art programs. Mayo Street Art has neighborhood/ community programs that provide safe and vibrant art programs for engaging neighborhood youth, for engaging communities and after school programs in the visual, literary and performing arts. I figured that was a good match.

TR: What else would you like people to know about the event?

CD: How much I value and am so grateful for my local community. … All these places and spaces that have contributed so that this event can happen. I go door-to-door and try to get folks to donate. There are four categories of winners, and the prizes are gift certificates to small, local businesses.

For more information on the Mid-coast Altered Couture Contest, including ticket information, visit the events page at explorefrontier.com.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com