West Coast DIY Fashion
In the early twentieth century in the US, fashion for surfing and beach attire consisted of neck to knee, one piece woolen suits; a police enforced regulation for how much skin one could show, in tandem with the absence of invention up until this point. Pioneers of surfing such as John “Doc” Ball, Palos Verdes Surf Club founder, expanded the image of surfing and influenced surfers through his nationwide distribution of surf photography on the Southern California coast - It was apparent that people were interested and wanted to tune in.
So, as an innovator and influential man at the time, Doc transgressed early surfing attire by sewing his own thick, baggy, cotton shorts constructed with enough support to withstand heavy wipeouts. He taught others his DIY style of clothing, and influenced the functionality that others desperately needed.
In similar DIY fashion, just up the West coast, members of the Manhattan Beach Surf Club would pick up oversized white sailor pants at the Salvation Army, slice off the bottoms of the garment leaving frayed edges, and inserted a draw string in the waistband. The oversized and below-the-knee fit would fight inner thigh chaffing from rubbing on the surfboard wax and the drawstring would hold the shorts waist high and in place during rough falls. Alongside the functionality was an aesthetic that represented a particular lifestyle surfers wanted to portray in society. These surfers, while not surfing, pulled their pants down lower on their waist with an untied draw string to showcase their social association with the sport.
This group lived in these pairs of trunks, appeared scroungy to others, and outsiders knew who they were; a posse that contained their own vocabulary; and in many decades referred to as counter-culture.
This culture that was started among surf clubs on the southern coast of California is the embodiment of this line. The style of surf culture has shifted the voyeurs' perception through the media -- through surf photography and the perception of coastal living. Like "Doc", a hand-made relaxed style draped in retro surf lifestyle and vintage motifs.
The goal is unique tailored pieces capitalizing on the use or inspiration of antique found textiles. With the spotlight on idiosyncrasies and mending appliqué. Employing uses of patchwork on historical textiles, each piece is made of a culmination of the fabric's whereabouts and how it has transformed into the article it is today.
Now, a comfort style that informs the implications of a day in the life of a west coast surfer -- the leisure-wear associated with the after-surf comfort, straight to work drab.