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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend August 13, 2006 Jeny Lee models a sweater designed by Konnie Nay which is made of 3 sweaters. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) Rags to riches 'Repurposed clothing' never goes out of style, even if the original designs have seen better days By Paris Achen Mail Tribune In pursuit of high fashion at a small price, Konnie May began 30 years ago foraging through thrift stores and rummage sales to find discarded clothes she could transform into trendy garments. What began as a thrifty way to stay en vogue has become part of a movement toward reuse, recycling, natural fibers and overall environmental awareness in the world of fashion. "As a society we are going toward sustainability," said Mary Peterson, fashion industry instructor at Oregon State University in Corvallis. "If you snoop around you'll see a little place selling (repurposed) clothing here and there. We're not seeing it on the runways, but when you have trends like that, they start small." May is now co-owner of Atomica boutique in Ashland where she sells whimsical sweaters she crafted from old sweaters, often dumped at the local charity thrift shop. Her partners, Traci Svendsgaard and Kat Sanchez also sell their creations along with those of Jeny Lee, a local clothing designer and employee at the shop. Advertisement Often erroneously referred to as recycled clothing, repurposed clothing involves dismantling old clothes and giving them a new form, sometimes along with new materials. Sometimes the clothes are slightly altered to give them a more modern look. Otherwise the vintage items are used as yardage for new clothes or as embellishment on a garment made of primarily new materials. Each designer takes a different approach to remaking vintage items. Svendsgaard makes minor changes to existing pieces using dye or paint or attaching slips and pieces of lingerie to give the clothes a more modern look. Sanchez, May and Lee regard the vintage pieces as materials to craft. May and Lee design clothing, while Sanchez makes jewelry. "In many of our designs you can't even recognize the original garment," May said. "We are creating a modern silhouette and style. We are looking at the old garment as yardage. It's less of a reconstruction and more of a new construction with old materials." Repurposed clothing has not gained the steam that fashions of recycled materials or natural fibers have in the national market. While remaking old garments has been around for centuries, repurposed clothing has manifested itself in small shops around the nation during the past 15 years. Nonetheless, the garments are rarely on the runway and are absent in the mass market as the items are difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce in the same colors and materials and in various sizes. "Repurposed fashion has happened over time, but I don't see it as a true industry," said Portland designer Anna Cohen, whose bamboo dress was featured on the cover of Women's Wear Daily this month. "It's more of a habit." Since repurposed clothing can't be mass produced, Cohen designs garments from vintage pieces on the side. "There are the most inspiring pieces of history in those garments, and a lot of designers try to imitate the look with new materials that can be reproduced," Cohen said. "When you see repurposed design it's usually in very high-end couture or local shops where the designers typically have less experience or are not totally serious designers." But the local market for repurposed clothing is growing. Ariel Will and Aura Johnson recently opened the Small Craft Advisory in Ashland, where they peddle their designs incorporating material from vintage clothes and those of several other designers. Import clothing shops sometimes sell imported repurposed clothing, often made from old Hindu saris. E.J. Warner & Co. in Ashland offers summer dresses made from discarded scraps of colorful rayon from Thailand. The owners of Atomica and the Small Craft Advisory said they are satisfied with the local market for their creations. They got into the business to offer something unique, May said. Repurposed clothing "is taking off," she said, "but there is a bit of a glass ceiling." Reach reporter Paris Achen by calling 541-776-4459 or [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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