Karolina Montes, 16, and Zoë Balestri, 17, are students at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. And when it was time for the two to come up with a project for their school’s annual fashion show, they knew they wanted to do two things: Find a way to work together on a project, and design something that — as Montes tells Yahoo Beauty — has “more meaning than just being a dress after what’s been happening this past year.”
The annual fashion show requires students to display artwork using nontraditional materials, and Balestri explains that as soon as the two thought of doing something in support of Planned Parenthood, they knew, “That’s it.”
Balestri explains that she and Montes got a grant from their school to purchase materials from Planned Parenthood, and also contacted the reproductive and sexual health care provider about their project and desire to buy materials in addition to what the school grant covered. The teens bought thousands of Planned Parenthood stickers, and the organization also sent the them pamphlets, additional stickers, pins and — of course
Using Planned Parenthood stickers, signs, and condoms, combined with shower curtains, PVC piping, hot-glue guns, tape, and staples, the two young women created their show-stopping gowns.
The bra top of Balestri’s gown, in fact, was created by sewing together packages of condoms by hand.
“When I walked down the runway, I think some people thought it was funny that I was wearing condoms on the top, but I think it was a great way to bring people out of their comfort zones a little bit, and de-stigmatize something that shouldn’t carry any stigma at all,” she said.
Montes says that one of their main motivations in creating the Planned Parenthood gowns was to educate, especially because students in fifth through 12th grades attend the annual event.
“In fifth grade, I didn’t really know about Planned Parenthood and what was going on with the government,” Montes said. “But with this current administration, we knew we needed to somehow be involved, and this was one way.”
Adds Balestri, “A huge part of our project was just about being young women and showing we can take action and showing what happens when young women take action. We wanted to use our voices to show what Planned Parenthood does for women’s reproductive rights, for abortion rights, for all the things they do to help young mothers.”
She continues, “It really saddens me that the idea of shutting down or defunding Planned Parenthood is even out there. [Montes and I] are both strong believers in being pro-choice and women having control over their bodies and everything Planned Parenthood supports. It’s really important that young women get involved so we can continue to have our reproductive rights.”
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