with Adrienne Jones, Team Member at the Goodwill on North Elm St, Greensboro
I love upcycling and creating my own designs. I really didn’t have any inspiration for this jean jacket project. I just wanted to put my vision together and see what I would come up with, and I really love the results!
How did I get started?
I went to a casting call in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and one of the directors pulled me aside to ask where I got my shoes. I told her I made them. Not only did she tell me to come back and walk the runway, but she also told me to make six outfits for them to show!
It was a huge success, and I sold a few pieces. From there I started upcycling and creating for fashion shows (and my daughter). I had to come up with my own brand name, so I chose Lavish Bendicion, which means Lavish Blessings. L.B are my late father’s initials, so it felt right.
I originally purchased these simple blue heels and the gold-patterned blue dress from Goodwill for that fashion show. It took some patience to find the right fit for the dress models, but it was worth it. To upcycle this look:
- I cut off the sleeves and altered the armscye (the area around the arms’ sleeves on the torso of the dress).
- I measured and cut the dress to the correct size.
- I used an iron-on hem and sewed that.
- The belt here is an old curtain rope!
- I added gold design elements from the extra fabric to the heels to match the dress.
- And, I created earrings and a bracelet with the same paisley pattern to complete the look.
This was my first men’s jacket design. I took one of my son’s button-downs and cut it, then added it onto the jean jacket using hand-stitched thread. I also incorporated the buttons from the button-down into the buttons on the jacket. It was very time-consuming, but so worth the work.
I often design jean jackets with materials repurposed from old graphic tees or hoodies. Most of the material I use comes from Goodwill …I love to find the odd piece and then create a new look for that item. To upcycle a denim jacket:
- I cut the image I’ve found to size.
- I find the best placement on the jacket for the image.
- I then use E-6000, which is an industrial-strength adhesive, to glue each image firmly in place.
- With the thread color of my choice, I sew the edges to the desired effect.
- And then I usually like to add a few rhinestones. ✨
For the woman’s face on the back of this last jacket, I used a stencil to hand paint this design to my perfection.
About the Artist
Adrienne Jones
I’m passionate about giving new life to old treasures. I enjoy finding unique pieces at my local Goodwill store and transforming them through creative upcycling, turning forgotten items into fresh, functional, and stylish designs. Every project tells a story and keeps something special out of the landfill….
Adrienne’s Personal Upcycling Brand: Lavish Bendicion