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  • Anonymous
    Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 32

    Why be afraid?



    I was at a party during fashion week, and caught this woman from a distance staring at me. after about 3 eye locks later, she came over to me and said "that's a beautiful scarf you're wearing, who makes it?" I then told her that it use to be a double layered carpe diem t-shirt, that i decided to play with. it's actually the one i had up about a week ago. Then she flipped out, because i had actually made 3 pieces from the shirt, 2 scarves, and a pair of long mittens.



    turns out, she was a fashion editor, and we got into an interesting conversation on how she's always wondered why people don't experiment with things they buy. are they afraid of a challenge? do they think it's unethical to alter someone else's vision? whatever the case, my reply was simply, "once i buy it, it's mine" if i see a pair of trousers that are a rarity, and they are a size too big, i will take them to a tailor, and pay that extra $20 to make them my size, it's that simple. we talked about fashion, design in general, then we somehow got on the subject of phillip stark, and i had a great story.



    when he designed the baby accessory line for target, everyone wanted them, but target was not in manhattan. then target decided to have the store on a boat that was docked near the chelsea pier. so we had an idea, we went there and purchased every thing they had in stock. then we took it to the store, and did two window displays, and tripled the price of the items. they were flying off the shelves. then after a week of being up, mr. stark comes in. he asked for the showroom manager, i came out and said "hello mr. stark" he then shook my hand, and asked "where did you get these items, they're only available at target" i then told him what we did, and why. "and he stared at me, while everyone in the store was staring at us, he put his hand on my shoulder, and screamed out "that's fucking genius" why not, yes"?. he then purchased three of his own items, simply because target was sold out.




    with so many designers now choosing to experiment more with fabrics and construction, i'd think they would embrace it. does anyone else love to alter a new creation?

  • macuser3of5
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 276

    #2
    Re: Why be afraid?

    Sometimes I do out of necessity; I had a great, perfectly slim black Costume National dress shirt which had an unfortunate run-in with a sharp edge... Voila, short sleve shirt [:P]

    Beyond that, I usually buy an item (I assume we are talking designer pieces) for the specific qualities it possesses, so I am not so much afraid as content with the way things are as I get them. Maybe I am afraid to a degree, as I don't have the financial backing to mess around with a $200+ object without a great deal of forethought. That said, I agree with your overall point; an article of clothing isn't sacrosanct, once it's yours, go crazy.

    Comment

    • sphoxx
      Member
      • Nov 2006
      • 51

      #3
      Re: Why be afraid?

      Interesting thread. I find I tend to experiment after owning a piece for a while and my emotions towards it begin to change. The fit of something will just feel off after a time, it changes, and then I usually get some inspiration on how to alter it to make myself happier.

      Comment

      • Avantster
        ¤¤¤
        • Sep 2006
        • 1983

        #4
        Re: Why be afraid?



        Great thread. I think most people are afraid to experiment with things they buy. But more than that my guess is the mentality is - why experiment with something that's 'not broken'. And even if it is, what for when you can go out and buy something else? And that makes me quite sad...

        let us raise a toast to ancient cotton, rotten voile, gloomy silk, slick carf, decayed goat, inflamed ram, sooty nelton, stifling silk, lazy sheep, bone-dry broad & skinny baffalo.

        Comment

        • Anonymous
          Member
          • Sep 2006
          • 32

          #5
          Re: Why be afraid?



          exactly avanster... and usually that's the reason, that "desired look" i find it quite interesting that people would rather go out and spend more money on something they may already have in their closet, that just needs a bit of tweaking.



          Comment

          • cmf
            Junior Member
            • Dec 2006
            • 23

            #6
            Re: Why be afraid?



            i love the challenge of making something new out of something old... taking a peice and completly changing the fit, changing the look.





            i need to do it more actually...

            Comment

            • Faust
              kitsch killer
              • Sep 2006
              • 37852

              #7
              Re: Why be afraid?

              It's a good topic. One think I always forget is a possibility of retailoring stuff. But that's because I live in a ghetto where there are no good tailors. I need to use people in the city.
              Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

              StyleZeitgeist Magazine

              Comment

              • Faust
                kitsch killer
                • Sep 2006
                • 37852

                #8
                Re: Why be afraid?

                I moved it to DIY forum, I hope you don't mind.
                Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                Comment

                • Fuuma
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 4050

                  #9
                  Re: Why be afraid?

                  Interesting, I must say recontextualisation is all fine and good but actual transformation is a different matter entirely, for the very reason that I'm an untalented hack.[:'(]
                  Selling CCP, Harnden, Raf, Rick etc.
                  http://www.stylezeitgeist.com/forums...me-other-stuff

                  Comment

                  • cmf
                    Junior Member
                    • Dec 2006
                    • 23

                    #10
                    Re: Why be afraid?



                    heres some pics of my favorite thing ive done... these were some huge rrl... 12" rise, legs straight all the way down probably 11" across. brought the rise up from the crotch, which slimmed up the top block and lengthened the inseam to around 39". slimmed them to 21cm across at the knee and 17cm at the hem.







                    Comment

                    • casem
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2006
                      • 2590

                      #11
                      Re: Why be afraid?

                      I agree with the idea that once you buy something you should make it your own and not worry too much about the designer's intent. But as far as altering clothes myself, that's something I have no talent for so I don't ever considera purchasethat would be aDIY project. I greatly respect those who do alter there own clothes but it's not something I have the desire to learn.Certain items, like a blazer or dress pants I don't have aproblem taking to a tailor. Butother than that, unless it's an amazing deal, I won't buy something if it doesn't fit becauseI feel like much of what I'm paying for in designer clothes is a great fit, so if it's not right why spend all the money?
                      music

                      Comment

                      • Chinorlz
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 6422

                        #12
                        Re: Why be afraid?



                        I often forget about retailoring. Made me miss out on some Linea black pants at C21 (stupid... stupid!!!) because i dismissed them as being "oh... way too large". Other times though, I pick something up because I know I can rework it, retailor it to fit my needs.



                        Of course the Linea jumpsuit comes to mind, but more recently I picked up a gray Linea sweater from Blackforest that was too large for me. It's currently sitting in the "to-be-altered" stack next to my sewing machine on top of the lower half of the Linea jumpsuit that will become some kick ass pants hehehe.



                        I'm a fencesitter when it comes to altering some pieces though. I'd find it hard to literally take apart an LMaltieri tee to make other components out of it... unless I got the tee cheap, couldn't wear it, and didn't feel like selling it. More often than not, if I don't like something, I end up selling it and purchasing something already constructed for myself. DIY is extremely enjoyable and rewarding, it's just a matter of not having enough time!



                        The more clothes that pass through my hands and the better my sewing skills, the less hesitant I am to rework pieces. Sure the Linea jumpsuit was literally thousands of dollars at retail, but in the end, it's just clothes, it's just fabric. As long as you're meticulous with your cuts and stitches, there should be no worry about wrecking anything! Measure twice (or thrice), cut once.



                        In that vein, I'll admit that I contemplated buying the leather jumpsuit off of Blackforest because I wanted to cut a leather jacket out of it hehehe.





                        I can hear Maurizio scream all the way in Perugia now...... hahaha

                        www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

                        Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "

                        Comment

                        • Anonymous
                          Member
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 32

                          #13
                          Re: Why be afraid?

                          i actually have a friend who did the same thing to a linea jumpsuit. he then left a piece of the adjustment cord exposed just a bit, then got them dyed black, they're gorgeous.

                          Comment

                          • Skye X
                            Senior Member
                            • Oct 2010
                            • 180

                            #14
                            Hi all; I found the site through its mention by a gentleman working at The Archive in SF.

                            This topic is one I've encountered time and again. One of my first "large" purchases was a Covet jacket from their AW04 collection, from a small boutique in Los Gatos, CA. I had gone to the store with a couple of friends, and while trying it on I was talking to them about the silkscreen I wanted to put on the back and some other minor alterations I would make.

                            The young woman working there was quite surprised, and asked if indeed I would be altering this brand new jacket I was just about to buy. After assuring her that I was completely serious, she said that she'd never heard of anyone doing such a thing with a designer item.

                            And, more recently, last month I was in Los Angeles staying with a friend who is a well-known model and performer in the alternative fashion scene. He had been up here the week previously to perform at an event, and was wearing one of his many altered pieces (everything he wears, he's altered). A woman recognized the original and expressed surprise at his willingness to "butcher" a $600 coat. His reply was "Why would I want to wear it if it wasn't me?"

                            The willingness to experiment and alter a piece of clothing to ones own style should be applauded, as innovation and invention always come from a foundation. Are we not, after all, dwarfs on the shoulders of giants?

                            Comment

                            • Faust
                              kitsch killer
                              • Sep 2006
                              • 37852

                              #15
                              There is nothing wrong with alterations and other modifications. Nothing wrong with making the clothes your own.

                              On a side note, I think this whole mentality of "dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants" has got to go, or we won't get anywhere.
                              Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                              StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                              Comment

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