Last fall, I had the pleasure of teaching an Artsy Mending six-week workshop as part of Carleton University’s Lifelong Learning Program. My students—15 incredible women, all over the age of 50—came together to learn the art of visible mending.
What struck me most was how many of them brought in a pair of ripped jeans to repair, whether their own or a loved one’s. While none wanted to hide the rips completely, their goal was clear: cover exposed skin (or underwear!), stop the rip from growing, and create an artistic, personal touch. This meant colourful fabric patches, embroidery, and tapping into their creativity. I was truly impressed by their ingenuity, especially considering that most had little to no prior stitching experience.
This sparked fascinating discussions about ripped jeans as a fashion statement.
From Necessity to Fashion Trend
Many of these women had lived through the 1960s, a time of self-expression and rebellion. However, they were not embracing today's fashion of ripped jeans. Faded, yes, but not ripped.
Historically, ripped jeans were a sign of hard work and low wages. Before the 1970s, people who wore ripped jeans did so out of necessity. Farmers, miners, and factory workers often wore their denim until it was threadbare. Torn jeans were not a fashion statement; they were simply worn out.
The trend began to shift in the 1970s with the punk rock movement, where intentional rips symbolized non-conforming and rebellion. By the 1980s, high-end designers started incorporating distressed denim into their collections, making it a mainstream fashion trend.
Why are ripped jeans still popular today, especially among younger generations?
During a visit with my BFF to a thrift shop this week we came upon some ripped jean shorts. Here are a couple of photos of what we saw. And I did end up buying one pair just so I could mend them as a sample for my upcoming Artsy Mending class this spring.
Some reasons include:
- They add an edgy look to an outfit.
- They can be dressed up or down.
- Allowing one to express their individuality and self-expression.
- They have a nostalgic appeal.
- A worn-in look is trendy, and comfortable.
- The rise of sustainable fashion encourages keeping clothing for longer, reducing waste, and embracing visible mending. This is especially of interest to younger generations.
The Rise of Visible Mending
With growing awareness of the environmental impact of fast fashion, there’s a movement toward repairing rather than discarding clothing. Libraries and book stores have a number of books available on visible mending. And Levi Strauss Canada, for example, actively promotes keeping jeans for as long as possible by adding patches, repurposing them into bags or wraps, and donating them them to thrift shops instead of throwing them away.
While some may not embrace the ripped jeans trend, there’s no denying the creativity behind mending and repurposing them. My students took this challenge to heart, creating wonderful, one-of-a-kind repairs that celebrated both their personal style and sustainability.
Below are some of the beautiful mends on jeans my students were creating during the workshop. You'll note one opted to keep the white strands, one just the frays around the rip, and the other covered completely. In fact, I think one may have been just to add interest to the jeans, and not to cover a tear.
Have you tried visible mending? I’d love to hear your thoughts or see your creative repairs!
Related post:
Artistic - or Visible - Mending
