<<<Sewing Gene Jean McKenzie of Sewing Gene found her upcycling inspiration on the handmade and vintage marketplace website www.etsy.com. “About six years ago, I was browsing etsy and saw upcycled sweater coats. I fell in love and made one for myself. After that, I was hooked,” says McKenzie. Finding pieces to upcycle at thrift shops, yard sales and friends’ closets, McKenzie creates gorgeous one-of-a-kind sweaters as well as jackets and dresses, all designed to properly flatter the female figure. A lot of time is spent deciding on colour and texture combinations, choosing pieces carefully from her stash of sweaters to upcycle. “I work on my pieces till I feel they are complete. If I’m not happy, I won’t sell it until I am,” McKenzie says. Sewing Gene is available at Alchemy Clothing and online at Sewinggene.etsy.com. McKenzie also accepts custom orders by phone at 306-5140551 or via email at sewinggene@gmail.com. Hope’s Tab Purses To make just one Hope’s Tabs Purse it takes more than 500 pop can tabs and a whole lot of time. That’s also a lot of pop. At first glance, you see a beautiful hand bag; however, it’s only when you look closer that you realize that the entire bag is immaculately woven using tabs and cord, giving you an appreciation for the effort and care that went into its creation. Hope’s Tabs purses are available at Alchemy Clothing and Salon.
<<<Chelsey Gruza, Designer & Stylist For this Saskatoon designer and stylist, upcycling has been an integral part of her designs— both out of necessity and love. “If I can’t find the pieces I’d like for a project I’m styling, I create what I see in my mind from other clothing, jewellery and sometimes even home décor,” says Gruza. A thrift shop connoisseur of sorts, Gruza spends hours going through others’ discarded items to find her treasures. “Sometimes, the pieces I find are perfect, other times the fabric is gorgeous but the style could be updated a bit so I rework it till I’m satisfied.” The dress Gruza created for this photo shoot is made from a vintage camisole found at Value Village, feather boas from a garage sale and floral décor left over from Christmas. Chelsey’s pieces are available by contacting her by email at chelseygruza@hotmail.com or following her on Instagram: @cgruza.
Art Re-worked It’ s not just local designers who have been embracing upcycling; Saskatoon boutiques have been sourcing some of their fashions from both local and international designers who specialize in this trend. Tonic on 2nd Avenue North downtown carries dresses by Ark Reworked, an international line specializing in giving a second life to vintage dresses and fabric. “Every piece in the line is oneof-kind,” says Tonic owner Roxanne Woodley. “That really makes the dresses special. Our customers have been loving the vintage reworked dresses and the feelings of nostalgia you get when you’re wearing one.” <<<Seaworthy Jewelry Seaworthy designer Marisa Howard of Portland, OR, finds her inspiration in geometric shapes and textile patterns form the 1930s. Her jewellery is made from a combination of vintage pieces and handmade, mixed metal pieces. Seaworthy Jewelry is available in Riversdale at Green Ark. <<<Green Ark What better location to shoot upcycled fashions than Green Ark Collected Home? This furniture and home décor shop on 20th Street West is owned by Noah Rossmo and Allie Perrin, who specialize in new, refinished and reworked pieces made from repurposed materials. They also do custom build services and design consultations. Rossmo and Perrin are very passionate about offering Saskatoon eco-conscious furniture and they are very proud that most of the furnishings and home décor items in their shop are made from recycled materials, a fact that is very much appreciated by their customers as well. They also have a love affair with the stories behind the salvaged pieces they find to rework. “I love that intrinsic character that much of the salvaged products in our shop have,” says Perrin. “I love dings (blemishes) and age similar to (that found in) vintage jewellery. You can look at a piece and imagine where it came from and who has previously owned it. “We have pieces in our shop that are literally made of wood salvaged from the space next door to us as well as the Adilman Department Store building,” she adds. “It’s just great to be able to have a piece that’s special and has local history like that and still is so beautiful.” Rossmo and Perrin do most refinishing work themselves, but they also work with other woodworkers whose furnishings are available in the store.
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