Fashion and plastic have more in common that you might think; both make it possible to express and (re)invent ourselves in new and unexpected ways. Plastic materials inspire designers’ imaginations and allow artists to create pieces that are cutting-edge, on trend, chic, affordable, and even eco-friendly. From Paris to Milan to New York, plastics are showing up in a variety of innovative and unusual ways including faux fur vests, funky jewelry, 10-inch platform shoes and even sequined mini-dresses made from recycled plastic bottles. This year, plastic and fashion are making the love affair official as the two come together to present the 12th annual “Fresh Faces in Fashion” event at LA Rock Fashion week.

Gen Art’s fashion events have proven to be a successful launch pad for big names, including Zac Posen, Phillip Lim (Development), Rebecca Taylor, and many more. Rock Media, known for producing events in Miami and New York City, will add rock & roll flavor to Gen Art’s 12th annual fashion project. Plastics Make it PossibleSM will be there to put the stretch, shine and structure in every innovative piece of art that walks the runway. This year’s show will run October 29-30 and will take place in Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles to accommodate increased demand for tickets. Five emerging designers will be featured on the runway: Leyendecker, Valerj Pobega, Seneca Rising, Rory Beca and MG Black.

Additionally, actress and fashion-o-phile Kaley Cuoco of The Big Bang Theory will be on hand to kick off the night’s festivities and announce a nationwide fashion design competition. New and established designers will create dynamic womenswear looks made out of plastic, recycled plastic and/or plastic-based fabrics such as chiffon, rayon, nylon and more, to win a $10,000 prize as well as the opportunity to showcase a mini-collection of 10 looks featuring plastics at Gen Art’s show during New York Fashion Week in February 2010. Each innovative look will be posted to Gen Art’s online community where designers can create their own profile page and upload their designs as well as network with others in the fashion community.

Entering its 15th year, the Gen Art “Fresh Faces in Fashion” show, presented by Plastics Make it PossibleSM, traditionally draws over 1,200 attendees.

Take the characteristics of crystal glass, combine them with plastics innovation, and the result is Lucite – an acrylic material that is about eight times clearer than glass and much more versatile.

Lucite does not crack or chip as easily as glass and scratches can be easily buffed out. What’s more, Lucite can be carved into jewel-like pieces or molded into a variety of forms, from furniture to the heels of high fashion shoes.

Sleek, sheer, sophisticated, and sparkly–Lucite has many admirable qualities for use in fashion and design.  It has an elegance that allows designers to tap into a futurist aesthetic while emulating vintage designs. In fact, vintage versions of household items like Dorothy Thopr candlesticks often spark bidding wars on eBay. Chanel recently hocked its Lucite tote for close to $1,000.  Philippe Starck’s “Ghost Chair” is a lovely example of the modernist aesthetic Lucite brings to a classic design. Did we mention it comes in a Barbie edition?

Long a staple of the art and design world, Lucite, which is technically known as polymethyl methacrylate, has recently appeared in a new and very different form. Microcapsules of Lucite are the secret behind a new kind of body art that glows under the black lights that are often found in dance clubs. “Chameleon Tattoo Ink,” incorporating Lucite microcapsules, is virtually imperceptible in daylight, but when the tattoo is seen under a black light, the design literally glows.

Originally brought to market in1933 by Rohm and Haas Company, Lucite has enjoyed several revivals including in the 1960s and 1970s, the 1990s, and in the 21st century, which is why you can find Lucite or acrylic accessories and furniture from various periods on eBay, in antique stores, flea markets, and high end furniture galleries.