California-born Adam Saaks has become something of a phenomenon. This former stylist is delighting fashion followers by creating original garments using only a pair of (sharp) scissors. Basically, he strategically slashes an item of clothing, and then plaits the resulting strips to form lattice panels. This technique is environmentally friendly, as it allows one to customize and recycle existing garments. http://maniqin.blogspot.com/ has the following instructions on how to achieve the effect:
To set your design in place just sew the end together or tie it up in a knot.
Slashing is of course nothing new in fashion.
The punk rockers of the 70’s and 80’s wore ripped T-shirts, jeans, leggings, jackets….. frequently “mended” with safety pins.
The appearance was painstakingly created, in contrast to grunge, where the aim was to look as if one did not care what one wore.
The carefully distressed appearance of today’s jeans echoes the “worn-out” look of grunge, but has the planning of punk.
But if we really want to delve into the history of decorative slashing, an interesting precedent comes to light.
Henry VIII was an enormous man, and in probable emulation of his appearance, the slashing, puffing and stuffing of sleeves and shoulders to enlarge the figure, became popular.
Moral of the story: There truly is nothing new under the sun!
Sources
http://historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com/category/renaissance-1450-1650/
http://adamsaaks.net/pages/about
http://maniqin.blogspot.com/2012/08/adam-saaks-style-reconstruction.html
Images
http://photogallery.navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11837452.cms
http://www.allaboutstyling.net/blog/punk-fashion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/henry_viii/