From the Runway: Take Flight Collection

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Repurpose with Purpose is Southwest’s award-winning program, which provides grant funding and aircraft seat leather to nonprofit organizations, school districts, and social enterprises to upcycle the leather into new products and provide employment, skills training, and other social benefits for communities worldwide.

Southwest was introduced to Magpies and Peacocks by Nest, one of our existing Repurpose with Purpose partners. Nest is a nonprofit organization that supports artisan and maker communities worldwide. Through advocacy and programming, they aim to build a world of greater gender equity and economic inclusion for these communities.

Magpies & Peacocks’ work perfectly matched Repurpose with Purpose, and the partnership was cleared for takeoff!  As the nation's only nonprofit design house dedicated to the collection, curation, and sustainable reuse of post-consumer textiles, they collaborate with designers and artists to create unique upcycled products using materials donated by the fashion and interior industry, costume designers, and even the NFL.

Until now, they had never worked with aircraft seat leather.

Without delay, artists and designers from Magpies & Peacocks began creating “Take Flight,” a sustainable collection of chic, wearable fashions using aircraft seat leather from three aircraft.

Magpies and Pies After Dark Model on Runway“Magpies & Peacocks products are always a vehicle for a message of environmental sustainability, so we were naturally honored to be included in Southwest’s Repurpose with Purpose program!” said Magpies & Peacocks Founder Sarah-Jayne Smith.

After months of work, the designs were ready to be unveiled, and who could be better to walk the runway in couture made from upcycled aircraft seat leather than Southwest Employees! Southwest Flight Attendant Travasha Runyon and Customer Service Agent Kimberli Walton volunteered their time to showcase these handcrafted pieces that were focal points of the fundraising event.

Flight Attendant Travasha models on the runway. Photo credit Nicole Corderio, HOU Ground Operations Assurance Auditor.“It was amazing getting to work with talented designers working together for a great cause. I can’t believe they were able to create such beautiful designs with the leather I’m used to seeing every day at work!” said Southwest Flight Attendant Travasha Runyon

Customer Service Agent Kimberli hits the runway. Photo credit Nicole Corderio, HOU Ground Operations Assurance Auditor.“As a durable, flexible material, [the aircraft seat leather] lends itself to simple, strong silhouettes and structured tailoring—so we took our inspiration from the soft curves of the aircraft seating and the way that the material refracts light,” said Sarah-Jayne Smith, Magpies & Peacocks Founder.

At the end of the “After Dark” fashion show, the pieces were auctioned off alongside sixty handcrafted bags made with—you guessed it—Southwest aircraft seat leather, which had been beautifully painted by award-winning and internationally recognized Houston graffiti artist GONZO247. Funds from the event will support Magpies & Peacocks’ work to create sustainable collections using upcycled material and provide employment, skill-building, and sustainable education for the Houston community.

GONZO247 Bags. Photo credit Nicole Corderio, HOU Ground Operations Assurance Auditor.

Raffle winners pose with their prizes

Raffle winners pose with their prizesMagpies & Peacocks and Southwest are already scheming up some fun ideas for collaboration in 2024—the 10th anniversary for Repurpose with Purpose—and we are always looking for new, creative ways our aircraft seat leather can be transformed!

Comment below and let us know what you want to see made with our upcycled aircraft seat leather!