Desiring the distressed (Raquel Allegra)

With free time from Collage i have been able to shop and explore fashion again, with the denim project we just completed for the graduation fashion show we looked into re-fabrication and distressing was an important aspect of many jeans samples on the runway and in stores. I went shopping with my mum this gloomy wintery morning and found a unique form of re-fabricatin that got me extremely interested and i came across a designers items in Alexandro del Largo, a boutique in the newly rebuilt Cape Quarter on Greenpoint main road, Cape town, South Africa, that immediately caught my attention due to the intricate distressing of the iconic garment with an unapologetic comfort and modern romanticism that i have never seen, a vest that just exudes creativity, an identity.

The Raquel Allegra Spring 2010 collection brings a retro vibe with the model’s bleached blond bob and baggy outfits. These back-baring, loose-fitted pieces are an interestingly casual way to spice up some neutral bum-about looks.

This is the vest that i brought today that totally inspired me.

Her process starts at the "Rag house" where forklifts of vintage prison thermal shirts are stored and then opened up for her to jump into, each item is a soft organic treasure, a bare form, that has been introduced to raw enzymes of the human body. She walks away to her studio with a select selection bag of shirts to where her creativity flows endlessly and where he belief in recycling comes into effect by breathing new life into a worn form. The chosen shirts are organically washed and died into varies natural shades and then cut with a rotary cutter into a unique shape to not show any cutting marks on the fabric. The seams are sewn to construct the basic garment for her to work upon and then her top secret shredding technique takes place. Each garment is one of a kind in its own special way, like a persons personality, the cut might be similar but the look and inspection is its own. The lengthy process is dedicated and enduring all for a labour of love.

For the love of lace

 

Here are Photos of a recent photo shoot that i did for a College assignment with my friend and model Michelle Burke, A magazine, Cover to cover. The magazine was called NU JOURNAL, i looked into born again vintage items and topics to create a learning tool filled with vintage fashion information. The shoot was taken in the Airstream trailer park at The Grand Daddy Hotel in Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa. Many items are from a Boutique by the name of Democratic Republic, a local South African designer,  Musa Xaba, or are hand me down from my mums vintage collection. The shoes worn are from Nina Roche, They have an exceptional vintage and youth full appeal. Accessories worn are from Diva or hired from Freaky feasts, a wardrobe of dress-up items through the ages.