Fishin’ for Fashion makes a splash in ninth year

Kate Lamontagne, owner of Kamala Boutique, styles an eco-friendly nautical flag bag at the 2022 Fishin’ for Fashion show. David Dostie photos

A Midcoast tradition is back with nautical haute couture. This weekend marks the ninth annual Fishin’ for Fashion show in Boothbay Harbor.

On Saturday, local merchants, along with 14 designers, will strut their season’s best featuring fish nets for lace, sailcloth for dresses and life jackets turned into totes.

The tradition, launched by Dana Paolillo, started as part of the former Boothbay Harbor Festival. After the pandemic, the torch was passed to the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce.

Program notes from the 2022 Fishin’ for Fashion show.

This year’s show will be held at The Shipyard from 1-3 p.m. General admission follows the VIP reception, then it’s onto the lobster-trap catwalk.

Three judges — Donna Maxim, quilter/crafter; Anne Baldridge, Miss Maine; and Kristin Furrow, owner of Weekend Vintage — will choose the 2024 People’s Choice Award recipient.

Proceeds benefit Boothbay High School’s Project Graduation and the Fisherman’s Memorial.

“We’re thrilled to introduce our inaugural Makers Market,” said Chamber Marketing Coordinator Kjirsten Flores. “Guests can browse handcrafted goods before and after the show. Products range from stained glass and jewelry to wooden sculpture assemblage by André Benoit.”

Benoit makes art from wood remnants — flotsam and jetsam from the shore, as well as discarded furniture. He said his art encompasses what the show is all about: repurposing.

For fans of “Project Runway,” Flores compared Fishin’ for Fashion to the 2012 All Stars episode where contestant Gunnar Deatherage made a gown using items from the Dollar Tree.

Shea Fritz and Elise Wilson, students at BRES, at their first Fishin’ For Fashion show.

“People are fascinated that designers can make fishing gear stylish,” Flores said. “That’s part of why this event is so well-loved. It offers a chance for creativity to run wild, and once the wheels get turning, the options are endless. Every year it just gets better and better.”

Lori Reynolds organized Boothbay Harbor Fest in September 2012 to help out local businesses after kids went back to school and the area got quiet, she said. In 2015, her friend, Paolillo, shared a vision to add a fashion show into the mix.

“It was hard for people to get behind the idea,” Reynolds said. “So, Paolillo made the first dress and had her daughter, Olivia, model it to show off what we had in mind.”

The first dress was made using vintage sails from Nat Wilson’s collection. It wasn’t until Paolillo found herself at the San Diego Festival of Sail that she realized his great acclaim as one of the foremost sailmakers.

“We have people in this town that are world-renowned and so humble about it,” Paolillo said. “Hence why it’s so important to shed a light on our merchants and fishermen: the often unsung warriors.”

Reynolds and Paolillo recalled looking out the window of the Rockside Inn — now the Boothbay Oceanside Golf Course — before the first show wondering if people would attend.

“And, boy, did they,” Reynolds said. “It was a great turnout from the start.”

To save money, the duo used what was at their disposal — lobster traps, plywood and buoys — to make the first runway. To this day, the tradition has held strong.

Cheryl King Nelson’s original Sail Away Wedding Dress design.

Over the years, designs have varied, from shell helmets to bridal gowns, and so have the models — from dogs to people aged 5–82.

In some instances, the show has even been a family affair.

“There’s a washer on the top and bottom of a buoy that holds the stem in place,” Paoillo said. “In 2017, my mom had an idea for a dress. Naturally, my poor father had to drill holes in each washer, which took forever. We still laugh about that today.”

While the event is plain ole’ fun, it nods to deeper themes of sustainability and cultural heritage as well.

“Fishermen are the stewards of our community,” Flores said. “This show speaks to that. We encourage the act of recycling and reuse beyond the show’s parameters (once a year) to ensure we maintain a healthy harbor for generations to come.”

Reynolds agreed.

“If we’re going to repurpose anything into fashion on the coast, it should most certainly be materials from the marine industry,” she said.

According to Flores, there are a few VIP spots left. To grab a ticket, swing by the chamber at 192 Townsend Ave. or call 633-2353.

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