It all started when his mother gave him a sewing machine for Christmas. Within weeks, art and design junior Adam Wirdak taught himself to sew and started a customized T-shirt line with a friend. Splat, the brainchild of art and design junior Barrett Colvin, is simple yet customized for everyone’s personal taste.
They begin with a cotton T-shirt and cut a V-neck. Then, the sides are cut and re-sewn to make it more form-fitting. From there it’s up to the customer to specify their custom look. Color of thread, fabric tag, shirt and splatter paint are selected. Colvin does the initial cutting and packaging while Wirdak sews.
Since Splat’s February debut, business cards and a MySpace page have been created. The response has been positive; several orders have been placed by the Cal Poly community and beyond.
“Recently we got an order for $40 from some kid in Mexico. It’s kind of fun to see who buys it,” Wirdak said.
Whether it’s the economy or the popularity of Bravo’s reality show “Project Runway,” Wirdak, Colvin and other college students are inspired and using their creativity to profit.
“I think it’s a trend and a rather good one. It’s always kind of nice getting something that is hand-made,” Wirdak said. “It makes you feel good and it’s relatively cheap.”
Colvin adds, “Maybe it’s because kids are sick of the normal shirts you find at a surf shop and they want something that will be noticeable.”
Local clothing designer Kate White has noticed an increased desire among her peers for a more individual look.
“A few years back you could tell when Urban (Outfitters) started taking vintage pieces and mixing and matching and cutting and re-cutting and sewing them back together,” she said. “I think it gave a lot of younger people ideas and they were able to run with it.”
White doesn’t feel threatened by other entrepreneurs. “I support it. I am a big fan of people’s personal outlook on things. When people make clothes it’s their own way of expressing themselves.”
A do-it-yourself culture has emerged perhaps inspired by shows like Project Runway. The competition pits 12 designers against each other and each week create new designs from fabric and non-traditional materials. Past contests have included garments created from car interiors, furnishings, recyclable materials and food. According to Nielson ratings the show has 3.63 million viewers.
“It’s really inspirational and it’s very nice to see other people with creativity,” said history, modern languages and English senior and Mustang Daily arts editor Emilie Egger. “I definitely start sewing when I watch it.”
Wirdak also enjoys the show. “Because I’m an art major it’s always good to watch other forms of art. It’s kind of nice to see what they do and it’s creative. It’s cool to watch and learn from.”
Project Runway challenges incorporate non-fabric materials to appeal to a more green conscience society. People are reinventing clothing by recycling fabrics.
“I like to look in the unexpected; like weird things I have of my grandma’s, curtains or bed sheets or old clothes,” Egger said.
White explained one reason she began sewing, “It was just the whole idea of being able to utilize the things I made instead of having to outsource, go in and purchase things.”
In tough economic times, whether the creator saves money or not depends on the cost of the materials. “The chain stores have really good fabric but usually more expensive,” Egger said. “I’ve been down to the garment district in L.A. and you can really find good stuff there if you bring someone that is good at bargaining.”
Although Egger doesn’t call herself a seamstress, and said she’s still learning, she has been commissioned to make scarves and has sold bags before. In the future she plans on selling her work on Etsy.com.
The Web site features over 30 categories of hand-made items from artists. Products range from jewelry to art, bags and clothing. The site is a helpful tool for entrepreneurs to sell their creations, as well as place consumers can go to find something truly unique.
Central Coast Surfboards, 855 Marsh St., has a reputation for being a local hot spot for budding designers, a place to showcase their talent. White left the busy Big Apple for San Luis Obispo where he is an assistant manager and designer for CCS.
“They were a good stepping stone for a lot of people and anyone that has gone ahead from this area has worked for CCS at one point,” she said.
Her line, SCISSOR, is completely handmade. “I have a feeling I’ll have to find some form of manufacturer in the next few years. As of right now, I sew everything; but I kind of like that and I can keep it at a small level,” she said.
For White, making clothing is more of a fun hobby than work. “So many people when they work are doing something just to pay the bills. I am doing something so much more than that and it just so happens to pay the bills.”
It is a hobby with a relaxing nature. “I like just doing something by myself and it’s quiet and I listen to music. And I do it in the middle of the night and it calms me down,” Egger said.
Cal Poly students have joined in on this therapeutic craft, too. Suzanne Wardman, coordinator and facilitator of classes at Beverly’s Fabric store, has noticed an increase in student participation from middle school to college ages.
According to Wardman, the students that come to Beverly’s pick up sewing quickly and have original ideas. “They are very creative.”
Classes range from sewing basics to more advanced classes focused on specific garments. “All the schools did away with home economics. But there is still a need for learning those skills,” she said.
Not everyone has aspirations of taking their work to Bryant Park. Wardman said some students come in to work on school projects or costumes for parties.
Sorority members are no stranger to Beverly’s. “Any time there is a party on campus we know it first,” Wardman said. “We will see two or three groups and we will say ‘what’s the theme tonight?’ There’s a lot of fun and foolishness; it’s a learning process when they come in.”
Whether it be costumes just for fun or crafting wearable pieces people can take pride in their work. “It’s just kind of fun to wear your own stuff and be creative. The only way I really see it in my life is everyday living and being creative and expressing my own style,” Egger said. “I don’t really expect to be (the next) Marc Jacobs but it is fun to wear your own things, it’s part of who you are and it’s not just buying things from Target, even though they have cute clothes.”