Designer dress to be auctioned at charity stolen from Charlestown Square shopping centre

A “unique” pink designer dress, made for a sustainable fashion competition, has been stolen from a shopping centre display. Organisers are frantically trying to get it back in time for a charity auction.

Newcastle-based charity, Corethics, has been rocked by the theft of a designer dress from a display mannequin in Charlestown Square (pink dress). Garments are finalists in a sustainability fashion competition. Supplied.

A designer dress on display as a finalist in a sustainable fashion competition, set to be auctioned of for charity, has been brazenly snatched from a shopping centre in Newcastle as shoppers walked by.

The unique light pink dress, designed and made by local design teacher, Michelle Villis, is one of four finalists in Corethics – a Newcastle-based not-for-profit organisation – Sustainable Fashion Design Competition.

All garments were set to be auctioned off for charity next month, part of the “indigo” themed gala event raising funds for sustainable water projects.

But one of the dresses was stolen from its display at Charlestown Square shopping centre last week and now organisers are frantically trying to get the it back.

The pink garment, set to be auctioned off for charity, which was brazenly taken from display at Charlestown Square. Supplied.

“It’s just brazen, really devastating news,” Corethics founder Melissa Williams said.

“If you are an onlooker, anyone could look like they’re from centre management or the designer themselves, no-one would really question in such a public space.

“Good news is the centre has CCTV footage, the police are on the matter. It is such a unique piece of art that I’m sure someone will recognise it, hoping it will get returned.”

In their first year of the competition which kicked off in July last year calling for designs, volunteer run Corethics received over 30 entrants, including some that were international.

The other finalists include an entry from a 16-year-old girl from Coffs Harbour, a woman from the Central Coast and an entry from a fashion designer in the United States.

Bidding is currently open for all designs, with hope each garment will fetch close to $500 to go towards a good cause.

“It’s a people’s choice and they can bid on it now, it is live on our site, bidding kicked off at $50, some garments are fetching around $150 now, some are wearable pieces of art, hoping around the $500 mark,” Ms Williams added.

“This is going towards helping to end chemical pollution in Indonesia. We work with garment factories in Bali, currently the impact we are able to create with this funding is with one treatment plant just in the first year of installation, we can save a million litres of toxic water from the environment.

Corethics founder Melissa Williams standing by the dresses which are finalists in the sustainability fashion competition. Supplied.

“Our research has shown a lot of this water ends up in the farmlands and resulting in issues like stunting in children in Indonesia, connected to the chemicals of dye we use in our clothes.”

While the hunt is on to get the garment back, they do have a plan in place if isn’t returned in time for the March 13 gala and auction event.

“Put together a mystery prize for the person who is successful so they won’t leave empty-handed,” Ms Williams said.

“It is so unique, beautiful. The beautiful artwork style of it, she’s taken off what looks like water bubbles and used stitching in the circular pattern to round the front section, it’s gorgeous.

“The level of expertise and quality in all these garments is amazing.

“Sustainable fashion is such a hot topic right now, the community of creators and makers and environmentalists is pretty fierce.”

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of the garment can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Locally, Corethics was established to create thriving and sustainable communities in the developing world and their #Waste4Wealth program helps end chemical pollution from impacting waterways and communities in Indonesia wastewater treatment, education and driving community-led, ethical action.

Their work contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.