Religious Redeaux
Born Again Vintage workshops give new life to old clothes
- B. Artise will be selling her book Born Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct,Reinvent, and RecycleYour Wardrobe at One Green Street.Born Again Vintage
- One Green Street hosts Born Again Vintage designer B. Artise for fashionworkshops.Born Again Vintage
Let’s face it, that old sweater isn’t doing anything but taking up room on your sweater shelf. Born Again Vintage creator Bridgett Artise has plans for that puff of fluff at her vintage reconstruction workshop at One Green Street during the EcoMod Fashion weekend kicking off Friday.
Skilled in reconstruction and design, Artise holds workshops at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and says even those who have never sewn can give an old piece new life.
“People leave more inspired and say since that was simple enough, what else can I do?” Artise says. “They look at their curtains and wonder what’s next.”
“Celebrities made vintage a cool trend, but on top of the economic situation, it’s a no-brainer,” Artise says.
It’s a feeling Artise can relate to. She scours Salvation Army stores, estate sales and her favorite shop, Somewhere in Time, for treasures she then incorporates into a comprehensive collection. Celebrities such as Sheryl Crow and Vivica Fox are fans of her clothing, but Artise wants to make sustainable fashion available for all.
“Celebrities made vintage a cool trend, but on top of the economic situation, it’s a no-brainer,” Artise says. “Imitation of Christ was the first to really work with it, but it’s never going away.”
Artise will be signing her book Born Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent and Recycle Your Wardrobe Friday from 2-3:30 p.m. at One Green Street. She is holding four two-hour workshops Saturday and Sunday for $50. Participants will learn how to transform a sweater into a clutch, a shrug or infinity scarf.
Artise is drawn to print and color and says vintage fabrics have a luxury she appreciates. Pieces that “speak” to her and favorites are tucked away until an idea comes to her, but she knows it’s easy to be overwhelmed when first starting to search for vintage fabrics, so Artise says to think small.
“Get your feet wet with a belt, clutch or necklace. It’s a great conversation piece and you can put it with any red or metallic dress, especially for the holidays,” Artise says.
One Green Street boutique owner Sherry Eichberger is the exclusive regional carrier of Born Again Vintage. Clothing ranges from $75 to $200.