FASHION FUSION

Men's clothing gets new life as women's apparel

By GAIL BORELLI

Special to The Star

More News

The swingy haute couture dress by Pakistani designer Deepak Perwani looks as if it began life as an exotic tablecloth. The colorful vest from Ragz design house in Crown Center really has been recycled — from men’s neckties.

“I love to take old garments and look at them in a different way and create something new,” says store owner and head designer Tisa Ofield-Reynolds.

The store’s Ex-Boyfriend Collection revamps men’s clothing into pieces women can wear, including the necktie vests, gauchos and skirts made from men’s dress slacks, and blazers made from suit coats. Ofield-Reynolds estimates 70 percent of the store’s inventory is “green.”

“Old apparel has great detail that is hard to find in new clothes,” she says.

All clothing and jewelry items at Ragz are handmade, many by local artisans.

“We custom-create anything and everything you can imagine,” including T-shirts and wedding gowns, Ofield-Reynolds says.

Posted on Sat, Nov. 07, 2009 10:15 PM

Buzz Up

Comment (0)

Join the discussion

Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open, civil debate is the goal. Please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as abuse" link.