Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Paper dress

Dressed in a paper dress, folded, ruched and covered with diner’s scribbles, an artist layered large sheets of paper on the dining tables, for diners to participate in an organic installation – a place to eat, meet and mingle during the May Arts Festival in Brussels. The installation created by the stylist and costume designer, Valentine Kempynck, offered a dining hall with "healthy" meals, a bar, long tables covered with the paper and over sized pencils hanging conveniently from the ceiling. Once the paper is covered with drawings and thoughts, they are moved for viewing to the adjoining gallery where they may be draped over tables, hung from the ceiling or projected on screens.

Free June Wallpaper

The June calendar is an imaginary world. In the desert, a tent is filled with fresh and artificial flowers, paintings, birds and a thousand crystals. She's wearing the “Woodstock Cool jean skirt”, a DIY project from my book, Denim Revolution. In the book, it's photographed in the woods, everything natural and earthy while here I've styled it with a boldly beaded flower top and printed wide belt in a fantasy world, all make-believe .

Friday, May 23, 2008

Skater Dude Nu Wave Cap

Reading and dreaming about what to make next … to wear tomorrow. Sketched are the diy projects from Denim Revolution --“Skater-Dude Nu-Wave Cap” and “Daddy-O miniskirt” worn with black opaque stockings and wildly hip shoes.

"Sweet Pea" and shopping off Shenkin Street

Off Shenkin Street, (one of the hip, Bauhaus areas in central Tel Aviv), I found the baby doll smocked top photographed in the “Sweet Pea” chapter of my book, Denim Revolution. In the carefree style of the young fashion scene in the neighborhood, designer Keren Gross, opened a roof top boutique one summer weekend. When I arrived at the top of the stairs, I was greeted by her sisters, music and a pitcher of iced tea and fresh fruit cheerfully spread out on a table draped with colorful vintage fabrics. She defined the boutique by an awning, rug and a breezy cloth tent for the “changing room”. It was a perfectly delightful way to shop and enjoy friends and a sunny afternoon.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Denim Revolution -- Check out some reviews !

Jean Rehab
"Don't throw out those ratty jeans quite yet! Author and designer Nancy Minsky has assembled a stellar compilation of the best ways to make your old duds look great and fashionable again. Check out "Denim Revolution" for dozens of ways to embellish, redefine and rehab your jeans into stylish pants, jackets, purses and more." COMPLETE WOMAN", May/June-08

You say you want a denim revolution?
Crafty? Fashionable? Have a ton of old jeans you can't bring yourself to give away? "Denim Revolution: Dozens of Ways to Turn Denim Cast-Offs into Fashion Must-Haves" may have some projects that are especially appealing to you. By Nancy Minsky, a former Calvin Klein protégé, "Denim Revolution" provides a how-to for recycling old jeans. Girly them up with some lace pocket trim or get crazy with a patchwork purse. Add button details or shred the legs for rebel yell. The best part? These threads require old clothes, so you're spending little for a one-of-a kind look. The book is glossy and full-color, and each project answers the question "How difficult?" What denim do I need? and "What other materials will I need?" in addition to step-by-step instructions...
THE DAILY JOURNAL by Jaclyn Youhana

DIY: Reinvent Your Favorite Denim
Got a pair of jeans that are past their prime? Maybe some denim that's stretched, shrunk or faded past the point of no return? Don't toss them - revolutionize them. We recently read “Denim Revolution”, by Nancy Minsky, and loved her novel approach to denim fashion. Find plenty of creative DYI ideas, with step-by-step details and colorful shots of the finished project. Our favorite style? The jeans-turned skirt with pleated back detail and accents.
CHICKSPEAK.com by Christina Twomey

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

DIY re-cycled denim

another sketch of Denim Revolution diy projects
Parisian pouf miniskirt-Tarzan loves Jane carryall bag-lacy Victorian cuffs

Monday, May 5, 2008

Denim Revolution and the parisian pouf mini

... the Parisian Pouf miniskirt was the second project I made for the book and I spent some time, sketching and browsing through my trims and thoughts until the design fell together. Inspired by the sumptuous macaroons (violette, rose, pistachio) at Ladurée near the Place de la Madeleine in Paris and Kristin Dunst done up as Marie Antoinette - my wish was - to bring those influences into the 21c with a terribly feminine twist in denim. Therefore, the tucks, pleats, lace, taffeta, velvet, trims, the covered buttons, gussets and hand stitching, and the hidden details that feel like lingerie. It is about dressing up for a soft late spring or summer evening. In Denim Revolution it's been photographed in a cafe in the Galerie de la Reine in Brussels and sketched for dinner in St. Tropez.

P.S. In the video, the "D" is for Denim, for Duffy (it's her song, "Warwick Avenue"), and for Dinah, my Russian grandmother, who hand embroidered this sampler, many decades ago, when she was a young teenager.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Parisian pouf sketch

a sketch from the Denim Revolution video