Teenager’s battlewear erupts at Volcano conference in Guatemala

A TALENTED teenager flew the Limerick flag at an international conference in central America.

Fashion enthusiast Joseph Monaghan, 17, from Castletroy, addressed the Volcano Conference in Guatemala.

Here he modelled an outfit he designed, which secured him a top 12 finish at the Irish final of Junk Kouture, the global fashion contest where teenagers design, create and model high-fashions made from recycled or repurposed materials.

The Newport College student designed and produced Ransacked, which is mock battlewear inspired by the conquistadors, who took over much of the American continent from the 15th to the 17th centuries.

The armoury for his ambitious outfit is made out of more than 3,000 Nespresso pods.

His outfit is made from sheets as well as from coffee sacks from the Old Barracks Roastery in Birdhill, along with the Nespresso pods from Brown Thomas in the city centre.

Coffee was used as a natural dye to keep things cohesive.

"The outfit is divided into several pieces: the underneath suit, made from the jute coffee sack, the cape-over-top, with a base of bedsheets and the hand-sewn Nespresso pods,” he explained.

The hat which goes with the outfit is made from a chicken wire base and bedsheet curtain lining.

Joseph taught himself to use an industrial sewing machine to complete the clothes.

He says he’s always had a flair for creativity, something which is shown on his Instagram page, revealing upcycled shirts, handmade necklaces, hats and trousers.

His father Joe, a teacher at Coláiste Nano Nagle in the city centre, introduced him to Junk Kouture at an early age.

"He brought me to all the competitions, and I got a real thing for looking at all the sustainable designs. I thought it was so fascinating how something could get a new lease of life,” Joseph added.

It was from this, he began experimenting with his own fashion on a daily basis.

At the summit in Guatemala, Joseph addressed 500 delegates.

There is a lovely symmetry to his speaking at the event: for the coffee sacks at the heart of his fashion creation actually came from Guatemala.

"I can only imagine that’s why they wanted to have me there. It must have been wonderful for the Guatemalans to see their coffee sacks being used in such a creative way overseas, showing their impact,” he said.

When Joseph arrived in the city of Antigua to address the conference, not only had he not spoken publicly before, he was still jetlagged from the 16-hour Transatlantic journey. On top of this, he had to change into his Junk Kouture winning costume.

"But it was the biggest adrenalin rush ever. I fed off the crowd. I felt so alive. It was so incredible from start-to-finish,” he enthused.

Joseph was joined by Troy Armour, who is the chief executive of Junk Kouture.

As for the future, the teenager hopes to work in the fashion industry - both as a model and a designer.

He lives with the neurological disorder cerebral palsy, which impacts his legs and walking.

Ten years ago, he had spinal surgery, and it was feared he would be wheelchair-bound.

Now he uses the condition to his advantage, saying: “Bringing my physical disability was something joyous to me. Cerebral palsy is a so-called weakness, but to be able to come out of that and show the world something I made, through my body and feeling comfortable with it, has given me a bug for modelling.”