The worlds of high fashion and sustainability converge this month in Sonoma, where the Missouri-based designer Cory Infinite, a viral sensation known for turning discarded materials into couture, will appear at the Sonoma Community Center for a series of events tied to its annual Trashion Fashion program.
Infinite will serve as a judge for the center’s sold-out Trashion Fashion Runway Show on April 18. Two days later, on April 20, he is scheduled to give a public artist talk and sign copies of his self-published book, “Cory Infinite,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the center’s Secret Garden.
Published in 2025 in collaboration with the photographer Evan Reese Johnson, the book documents the designer’s work, which often transforms everyday refuse into sculptural garments.
“I really fell in love with the process of finding things that some might view as trash,” Infinite said in a statement released by the center. “I get to be creative, use my imagination, and upcycle things into wearable art.”
Evan Reese Johnson
Cory Infinite, dressed in one of his designs made from recycled materials. “Basket Weave Tie Set.” (Evan Reese Johnson)
His ascent in fashion has been as unconventional as his materials. In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, he graduated from high school early and began devoting himself to design while working at a grocery store. Evenings were spent sewing; momentum came later, when an influencer with millions of followers agreed to post one of his pieces on social media.
“I was pushing the carts in the parking lot, and then I’d get off work and sew a bunch of clothes,” he said. After the post, his following grew by thousands in a single day.
Infinite now counts more than 800,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where his message of “infinite human potential” has found a wide audience.
Evan Reese Johnson
Cory Infinite’s “Keyboard Jumpsuit.” (Evan Reese Johnson)
Evan Reese Johnson
Fashion designer and artist Cory Infinite is headed to Sonoma to judge the Trashion Fashion Runway Show before hosting an artist talk and book signing at the Sonoma Community Center April 20. Infinite in one of his designs, “Cutlery Man.” (Evan Reese Johnson)
His portfolio includes a 55-pound suit made from table utensils and pants fashioned from pennies. His work has drawn the attention of the singer Erykah Badu, who has worn his designs, and has led to collaborations with brands and artists including Converse, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, A$AP Rocky and Yung Lean.
The April 20 talk will include a multimedia presentation, a question-and-answer session and a book signing. Admission is free, though reservations are encouraged.
For those unable to attend the runway show, the center will host a free “Trash Bash” and an inaugural City of Sonoma Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, where this year’s designs will be on display alongside community programming focused on sustainability.
For more information about Trashion Fashion or the Sonoma Community Center, visit sonomacommunitycenter.org.