The Denim re-Done Collection : February 2015

Old denims. Every house has at least one pair. And I hate, absolutely hate, throwing away an old pair of jeans. They are so comfortable – almost like a security blanket. The other day I wore a pair that I have had for a gazillion years and went downstairs for a walk. And a dear friend tells me ‘either cut them into shorts or fix them’. Though not vocalized, implicit in that statement was  … ‘throw them!’

I digress here but I must share this with you. The year was 1994 and my father was commanding an Air force base in Western India. I was home on vacation from college and was about to step out of the station compound to go to the local market. So walking over to pick up a friend, I hear this shout from behind me. The guard at the main gate tells me that my mother has left a message for me to return home immediately. I panic and almost run the entire way home with my heart in my throat. I reach and my mum says ” I just got a call from the mess bearer – ” Madam, aapki ladki ki pant phat gayee hai…”  (Madam, your daughters pants are torn!) So mum to save me embarrassment had called me home.  The pants in question were actually a pair that had been reworked with embroidery patches in multiple places though the knees were bare like the pair you see in the picture above. I thought they were very chic and bohemian – the mess bearer thought otherwise 🙁

So it was time to discard the old jeans. But you know me and my little issue with throwing things away when they still have life left in them. I decided to rework/up-cycle them into bags and blankets. Actually anything that could be used. Then I had friends donating their old pair of jeans, cargo pants and chinos and a whole collection was born.

You have already seen the Dog tags here and one version of blankets here.

Upcycled bags – buy them here. Help make some room in that landfill, reduce your carbon footprint and help another soul along. Did I mention that these bags have been stitched by me in the studio. And a lot of these bags have embroidery done either directly by me or the girl from the village that works for me sometimes.