“I love the challenge of taking something that someone thought was worth discarding and making it beautiful.”
That desire to fashion beauty from repurposed materials drew Penn Iarocci to co-create the Epiphany Brand in 2019 and keeps her there today. Epiphany was founded by three New Orleanians (Iarocci, Melissa Montgomery, and Allison Tiller) whose love for Mardi Gras and disdain for plastic waste led them to create sustainable Carnival throws from upcycled, recycled, or biodegradable materials. When the Covid pandemic cancelled parades in 2021, Epiphany expanded into accessories made from old Mardi Gras costumes. These shiny headbands, scrunchies, fanny packs, and makeup bags revealed the possibilities of breathing new life into formerly single-use garments.
Today, Iarocci is the sole owner of the Epiphany Brand, and she’s looking beyond Mardi Gras. While Epiphany still creates throws (available through Grounds Krewe and through Epiphany’s website), Iarocci has expanded to style-forward items for year-round use. In addition to old costumes, Iarocci began sourcing discarded fabrics from local decorators and upholsterers
to create pieces like ruched velvet headbands and clutch handbags.
“We’re keeping the spirit and fun of Mardi Gras but making things you could wear to any celebration,” she says. For production, Epiphany teams with Nola Couture and local seamstresses who understand the latent beauty in Carnival discards. “Someone else might look at a Mardi Gras costume and be like, ‘eww…,’ but they get that aspect,” says Iarocci, who is also honing her own sewing skills.
Epiphany items have been distributed in the past at local boutiques and specialty retailers (including Home Malone, Ogden Museum, the Historic New Orleans Collection, and Judy at the Rink) as well as popup markets and online at epiphanythrows.com or @epiphanynola. Iarocci hopes to collaborate more with local designers and to build a wholesale presence, all in service to the brand’s mission: “In the culture of fast fashion and overconsumption of everything, we have all of these materials that already exist and can make beautiful, one-of-a-kind things… You’re wearing something that was a piece of someone’s Mardi Gras day – someone had a blast in that headband you’re wearing.”
