Who doesn’t have Tupperware in their kitchen cupboards? (Frankly, I can’t think of one of my cupboards that doesn’t have a Tupperware container sitting in it.) I’m sure you’ve heard of Tupperware being used to store leftovers, spin dry salads, and house caterpillars (my young cousin’s favorite use for the plastic containers). But have you ever considered using a Tupperware container as an evening bag?
One creative Tupperware owner did and is richer for it. The Tupperware purse was entered into a recent contest sponsored by the makers of the iconic plastic containers in celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary. Other winning entries included a kaleidoscope, a model racecar and an intricate illuminated sculpture.
When I look at my Tupperware collection all I see are containers for leftover spaghetti. Be that as it may, the plastic containers have become fixtures in kitchens and American popular culture since their introduction six decades ago. In the early days the containers were held up as artwork. In fact, House Beautiful magazine once declared them “fine art for 39 cents.” Today, Tupperware pieces are enshrined in several major museums, including a water pitcher, which is on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
The Tupperware company (which interestingly is based in Orlando, Florida) introduced the design contest this year as a way to “get Tupperware seen in a very different kind of a light.” One can assume that Tupperware was no longer satisfied with being viewed as a relic of a by-gone domestic era. Which is sad (if it’s true) because I find the product extremely versatile (regardless of the marketing spin).
The aim of this year’s contest was to use the product’s “functionality and quality, but at the same time, have fun with design and color.” Hundreds of entries were received and a panel of home-design and materials experts judged each piece. The winners received $5,000 and trips to New York.
One of the winners was Evelyn Tabaniag, a regional sales director for Tupperware in the Philippines. Tabaniag crafted several purses out of sandwich storage containers, using beaded bracelets for handles. She lined the translucent blue boxes with lace to soften the look. Another winning entry was a Formula One racecar made entirely out of Tupperware items. The wheels alone involved jelly molds, potato mashers and flexible baking forms. But, the most the most elaborate entry came from a French designer who pieced together what judges called a “striking fish sculpture.” Bowl covers formed the fish’s scales, while salad utensils made spiny fins and carved-up canisters stood in for waves.
Who knew I had the makings of plastic fish and handbags in my kitchen cupboards?