Rip Her to Shreds

For work and play, I tend to gravitate towards East Coast or internationally-based designers, but every now and then I’m blown away by the girl next door. Case in point: Raquel Allegra, the LA established apparel architect who is pushing the envelope on glamorous grunge with her super soft, destroyed tees.

Supporting the notion that one (convicted) man’s trash is another woman’s treasure, Allegra capitalizes on LA county jail shirts by converting them into couture pieces. Her fall collection offers a wide range of exquisitely shredded tunics, tanks, tees, dresses, and scarves. I’m personally obsessed with the Striped Shredded Top, because the hand-dyed finish takes me back to my Grateful Dead days :). I also love the sheer aesthetic—it’s a subtly sexy detail that gives one an excuse to show off a pretty bra. Wear the distressed top as an alternative to a basic tee by pairing it with liquid leggings, a denim or leather jacket, and some studded biker boots to achieve a fashion-forward look this fall. xoRZ

Availability: Curve in LA, (310) 360-8008, (Basic Striped Shredded Tee $295). Additional pieces from Raquel Allegra’s fall collection will be sold at Switchboutique.com starting 8/12. For other retailer info, visit Raquelallegra.com.