TERRE HAUTE — Jazzing up jeans for personal flair has transformed one local artist into a budding fashion designer.
“To people, jeans are casual clothes,” Parisa Keywanfard said inside her new downtown studio Saturday afternoon. “But they don’t have to be. They can be dressy, too.”
Keywanfard was readying her studio at 7 S. Sixth St. for its grand opening this Friday, and the walls were covered with pieces of art which collectively lend to its name, Parisa Collections, Wearable Art.
With clothing ranging from denim jeans to skirts, vests and head bands, as well as accessories such as purses, Keywanfard stylizes the items with fabrics, paints and beads, among other materials.
“Each one takes five or six hours, or more,” she said, explaining customers provide the clothing on which the artwork is done. Cost for the artwork and design, which is planned with the client, ranges from $45 to $75 depending on intricacy and materials, she said. Each work is an original Keywanfard signs via the materials in use.
Keywanfard, whose work has hanged on the walls of galleries such as Gopalan Contemporary Arts, said this venture was born from comments elicited about her own clothing. A trained artist since childhood, she had been stylizing her own jeans and skirts for some time when people began asking where she bought them. While the thought of selling the clothing had never really occurred to her before, the more people asked about the clothes, the more it made sense, she said.
Friend, customer and newly-designated “manager,” Laura Tucker brought a pair of jeans back into the store Saturday as the two discussed artistic options. From friends and family to people in the street, Tucker said the clothing draws attention.
“I’ve always had to work at marketing,” she said of her own professional experience. “But these, you just wear them.”
Colorful designs wrap about the clothing, and Keywanfard said the lines can be used to accentuate the positive aspects of a person’s body, personalizing otherwise simple apparel.
“Simple things can make you look pretty,” she said, adding she’s always loved fashion.
The studio will host its grand opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at its National Building location. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday with additional availability by appointment.
Keywanfard said she’s particularly happy with the downtown location, pointing out the painted floor and colorfully-decorated walls.
“To me, this studio is a dream come true,” she said. “It’s precious.”
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
Parisa Collections
Location: The National Building, 7 S. Sixth St., Suite 201
Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday - Saturday
Phone: (812) 229-5998
E-mail: pkeywanfard@yahoo.com
Grand Opening: 7-9 p.m. Friday








