WORCESTER—After graduating from Parsons: The New School of Design, Stevie Leigh Andrascik was working at a tailor shop where she saw heaps of denim scraps discarded after they were hemmed for customers.
She already had concerns about textile waste, evidenced by her bachelor of fine arts degree in sustainable fashion design. With the intent of rescuing the denim from being sent to landfills, Andrascik began collecting bundles of scraps each week, creating patchwork fabric with which to design garments and accessories.
“It was high quality, new fabric being wasted and upcycling it saves about 10 to 15 pounds of denim from being thrown out each month,” Andrascik said.
Today, she works from a studio in downtown Worcester on Jackson Street called #REMIX by Stevie Leigh. She splits her time between doing alterations with help occasionally from a part-time tailor and designing her own “one of a kind, upcycled denim apparel.”
Andrascik describes her custom-made fashions as “gender free wearable art.”
Her most popular items are denim jackets, which she calls “fun statement pieces” and “out there.”
She sees her work as giving “new attitude to previously loved” upcycled garments while simultaneously helping the environment.
Andrascik makes everything from T-shirts and tank tops to bucket hats and wedding dresses.
She said it can take anywhere from six to eight hours up to a full 40 hours to finish a piece.
Named for musician Stevie Nicks, Andrascik said she has been inspired by music “since birth,” particularly punk and alternative.
She incorporates that love of music into her fashions, giving each of them song titles to correspond with their looks.
A denim coat with “fur” collar, for example, is dubbed “Closer to the Edge,” while an open weave tank top’s name is “Heart in a Cage.”
“Watch Me While I Bloom” is the name given to her jacket with 3D denim flowers, while “Gravity” is the tune corresponding with a reversible denim short jumpsuit.
Andrascik said in addition to being genderless, her garments are ageless, with customers ranging from teens to 70s.
Andrascik collects her scraps from local tailor shops and said she is “setting up a system” to gather them from more establishments and branch into knit jersey T-shirt, sweatshirt/sweat pant materials. But denim will remain the primary focus.
Her vision is to create new looks out of the “t-shirt and jeans” mainstay outfit while avoiding textile waste.
In addition to alterations and custom designs, Andrascik shares knowledge about her craft by teaching sewing and fashion upcycling classes at the Worcester Art Museum and LINX in Wellesley.
Her work has also been exhibited in museums and art galleries including the Fitchburg Art Museum, Worcester Historical Museum, Arts Worcester and LexArt.
Her goals include one day having a storefront where she can hire more help and welcome walk in business. She also wants to help the fashion industry build awareness about its waste and sustainability efforts.
Andrascik added she would like people to re-think the clothes they are wearing and ask themselves, “Do I really need 20 garments?”
#REMIXbyStevieLeigh can be found at various arts markets in Massachusetts and online.
Her services are available Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. by appointment.
For more information email stevie@itsmestevieleigh.com
Susan Gonsalves is currently editor-in-chief of a mental health trade journal and a freelance writer/editor specializing in education, medical/health and business. She previously worked at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and has contributed to publications at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and College of the Holy Cross. At the Worcester Telegram, she covered the town of Leicester and wrote for Business Matters. She can be reached at smgedit@comcast.net
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