As a professional stage manager for more than 17 years, Jen Kahn has seen a lot of theatrical sets—and watched many of them get thrown away. “It broke my heart to see all of that art just go in the trash can,” Kahn says. This waste, combined with her passion for eco-friendly fashion, inspired Kahn to launch Scenery Bags, a line of one-of-a-kind totes, clutches, and fannypacks ($35 to $85) handmade from retired backdrops from Broadway shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray. “It’s been really fun to design a new bag every time we get a new drop in,” Kahn says. Even cooler, a portion of the proceeds go to the nonprofit Theater Development Fund, making theater affordable for young people. “With arts being taken out of school curriculums, we’re losing a younger generation,” says Kahn. “Access has always been important to me.”
By Lydia Wang
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2019 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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