Creativity, crafting and cars: CoMO does couture

From screen-printed shirts to earrings made from Micro Machines cars, there's something here for everyone.

By Amanda Bromwich

Published Oct. 14, 2008

In the era of mass production and mega malls, it can be difficult to add unique, handmade pieces to your wardrobe. Fortunately, the Columbia community embraces all forms of art, even in the kind displayed in our closets.

T-shirt lovers have probably heard about Acme T-shirt Co., which specializes in custom shirt designs including vinyl, screen-printing and ink-to-garment printing. They can print on cotton, polyester or "just about anything really," employee Tanner Pieschel says. "We've even printed on scarves and pillowcases before. Once we even printed on canvas as part of a person's art project."

At Acme, customers can bring in their own designs or buy one of the shop's original prints. The company can order any material, whether it's a plain T-shirt, a hoodie or anything else you want inked up. Pieschel says the most popular designs come from popular culture, like sitcoms, politics and local interests such as Tiger football.

Fabric as canvas

Local designer and teacher Fran Lakatos started as an artist before moving on to designing scarves. Now, she specializes in screen-printing T-shirts, but in a more sustainable way.

"I'm really into recycling, and my art being sustainable so I usually go to places like the Salvation Army and The Wardrobe to find quality fabrics to print on," Lakatos says. "I started out using stencils and spray paint, but now I have my screens made by Flying Cow because they last longer."

She says that she draws inspiration from '40s-, '50s- and '60s-era children's books, nature, pop culture and feminism.

"I've been commissioned for original art and clothing several times," she says. "Once I was commissioned to paint on linen skirts and dresses."

Bag it up

Cory McCarter began creating messenger bags when he purchased a Timbuk2 brand bag and realized he could do better. After figuring out what his mother's sewing machine could handle and some general trial and error, Cory now creates handmade, hand-stitched messenger bags for his line, Leif Labs, from rot-resistant synthetic canvas.

"I'm inspired by simplicity, utilitarianism and sexiness, but mostly function," McCarter says.

On the Leif Labs Web site, Cory gives step-by-step instructions for creating messenger bags.

"I'm trying to inspire people to create their own bags," he says. "I want people to get over the mental block preventing them from creating their own stuff, and always buying from a store."

Jewelry in overdrive

For those who like their bling a bit on the unconventional side, Lindsay McMurry's jewelry designs may be of interest. For her Vroom, Vroom line, McMurry uses Micro Machines toy cars in various makes and colors to create unique pieces. To keep with a rhyming motif, McMurry's line of jewelry made from tiny zombie figurines is called Doom and Gloom, and silk flowers are used for Bloom, Bloom to create unique hairpins, earrings and necklaces.

"I'm inspired by toy boxes and carousels," she says. "I like to think that I bring out the kid in people. When you get older you become more self-conscious about what you put on your body, but I think you should be confident enough in yourself to wear what you think is cool - even if its something crazy like a toy car hair pin." When asked about creating one-of-a-kind pieces, she adds, "I think it'd be really cool if someone came to me with their favorite childhood toy, and I could turn it into a piece of jewelry."

Fashionably aware

People who have walked around downtown Columbia in the past week or so have probably noticed numerous pink dresses hanging in the windows of stores including Poppy, Swank and Manhattan Closet.

"The dresses are an annual project for senior design students at Stephens College," says Stephanie La Hue, the instructor for Stephens College's Visual Merchandising and Display class. "Each student had to research breast cancer and design a dress from recycled materials that conveys a message or theme related to breast cancer."

In the front window at Downtown Alterations on Tenth Street is Jane Zachritz's dress, created from packing peanuts, bubble wrap and packing gauze.

"I wanted to embody the message of awareness," Zachritz says. "That we should be aware our health is fragile and needs to be handled with care." 

Another unique dress, made primarily of light bulbs, hangs in the window at Swank.

"I wanted to convey the femininity of a woman's body in the dress while showing how women can shine through the darkness associated with breast cancer," says designer Kelley Miller. "The boobs actually light up."

While the dresses are not auctioned or sold, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation does choose some of the best to display at various events around the country.

"Since the students have to research breast cancer, and most learn the story of a survivor, the dress is more than just another project," La Hue says. "It's a representation of the circle of awareness created in our community."