Teen designer enjoys sweet success despite last-minute drama

An Inverness teenager was threatened with disqualification just 15 minutes before taking to the stage in an Abu Dhabi fashion show after officials deemed her use of rainbows culturally inappropriate.

Orla Ni Eadhra, formally of Inverness Royal Academy, travelled to the Middle East earlier this month to compete in the final of the 2022 Junk Kouture fashion show.

The international competition challenges high school pupils to design, upcycle and create high-end designs from recycled products.

The 18-year-old was one of 60 to take to the runway with her creation Jump for Joy, a dress designed from sweetie wrappers, and an old trampoline.

However, she almost didn’t get there, after less than 20 minutes before going on stage officials threatened to block her from competing due to the inclusion of rainbows on both her dress and make-up.

Rainbows are considered to be a symbol of support for the LGBTQ community. Homosexuality, same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption in the United Arab Emirates is considered illegal.

Miss Ni Eadhra has stressed there was no political motivation to her design.

The teen said she was shocked when government officials attempted to disqualify her from the competition.

She said: “We had about 15 minutes before we had to all get out of the changing room.

“Just before my teacher left, she got called out by one of the people and I thought this is either going to be really good or really bad.

“She came back in with tears in her eyes and said, ‘You have to change your outfit or you’re not allowed to go on’.”

With little time to think, she and her team sprung into action, creating a whole new design for her corset.

“I had one box of extra Quality Street wrappers with me, a really small box that I almost didn’t bring,” she said.

“In the end, we laid out all the sweet wrappers we could get from that tub and then sellotaped them all together to make a massive sheet of mixed colours.”

An investigation has now been launched by Junk Kouture to understand the events leading up to the last-minute decision.

Despite the ordeal, Miss Ni Eadhra took to the stage and won the London designer of the year award.

Orla’s award-winning dress was made of sweetie wrappers and an old trampoline.