When junior fashion design major Marisol Lopez participated in Meow Wolf's Trashion Show on July 11, she drew inspiration from her early days of designing clothes with household items.

"I've always been interested in fashion, even as a kid," Lopez says. "I learned by making the clothes on my toys and learning from my family. The Clawdeen Wolf 'Monster High' dolls continue to inspire my designs."

She was among eight Dallas-Fort Worth designers whose work was featured in the Trashion Show. The event focused on eco-friendly practices by showcasing pieces made from recycled materials while commemorating Meow Wolf Grapevine's one-year anniversary. It also highlighted the path Lopez wants to take in her future career.

Through the two fashion shows she has participated in so far, Lopez has developed professional skills in sustainable fashion and industry insights. Her classes have taught her about the environmental impact of fast fashion.

"The fashion industry is a leading cause of pollution," Lopez says. "People love polyester and plastics for their stretch, but they harm the environment. I prefer working with secondhand materials because it's more responsible. In a previous show with Goodwill, I made a princess dress from secondhand clothes I found there."

Lopez embraced the Trashion Show's theme ,"Celebrate," by using clown-like color aesthetics and pinata-like textures throughout her designs.

"I was inspired by fairy tales and fantasy, as you can see from the clown theme," Lopez says. "I started with messy, fun sketches and then created a mood board. Much of my process was sketching and seeing what sticks."

Her designs for the show included a hat, top, shorts and leg warmers made from fringed and crocheted plastic bags.

"It's been a long and enjoyable process figuring out the design," Lopez says. "I initially wanted to use candy wrappers, but they were too unstable, so I switched to plastic bags for the fringe."

Even before the Trashion Show was behind her, Lopez was already contemplating her next project.

"I've collected Monster Energy cans from all-nighters, so I'm thinking of making a knight costume out of them," Lopez says.

Looking ahead to her 2026 graduation, Lopez envisions a future in fashion.

"I want to do costuming for films and tell stories through clothing," Lopez says. "I've also thought about opening a seamstress shop. Who knows what the future holds?"