ROCKY RIVER, Ohio–Spring is here.

And in the world of high fashion, nothing is short of the imagination.

“I’m just making a skirt out of recycled fabric and then just magazines and I just fanned them,” said Mary Perozek, a student of the Brown Aveda Institute..

Perozek and other students of the cosmetology school in Rocky River are prepping for the catwalk.

“I’m hoping my seventh grade home-ec skills pay off and don’t fall off of her,” she said, sewing her last-minute touches to a high-waist skirt.

Students are crafting high couture designs out of stuff you’d never think of before.

“They’re using recycled cans, plastic bottles, plastic bags,” said Kyle Gray, manager’s educator for Brown Aveda. “Pretty much anything they can get their hands on, students are making high fashion to do a runway show.”

This year’s event isn’t just sparking creativity. It’s an opportunity for 150 students to give back to the community.

“We are donating our money to the Sierra Club,” said student council president Ann Marie Smith. “It goes to clean water in Cuyahoga County and local areas. It’s amazing to see your money go to organizations that are helping your hometown.”

A Catwalk for Clean Water, with the most unusual garb hitting the runway.

“It’s totally stressful, but it’s so high end,” Smith said. “I’m loving every minute of it. The girls are working really hard. We’re selling tickets. Everyone is very pumped. Getting your creative juices flowing.

The Catwalk for Clean Water runs from 5 to 7 p.m. this Sunday at the Brown Aveda Institute, 19336 Detroit Road in Rocky River.

Tickets cost $5 in advance or $10 at the door. You can purchase a ticket at either Brown Aveda location in Rocky River or Mentor.

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