The first was he didn't have money to buy new clothes, so he turned his T-shirts inside out and revamped the shit out of them. He likes to squat when he sits, and the position made holes in his jeans, which he didn't want. "Unless," he says, "I wanted holes in them." So to the thread and needle, Dino went.
The other reason was the need to take his mind off his mother's short stay in the hospital. He believes his late uncle, Eduardo Felipe Dulzaides, a fashion designer in the '80s, is present, helping his mother in her time of need, and inspiring Dino in this new venture.
Dino Felipe is one of the most creative and frenetic people you'll ever meet. A prolific musician, he's working on his 50th release (FIFTY! Out in Feb. 2011) and you can still see his art on the walls of Sweat Records. Intense and multitalented, he says, "Art is art is art is art."
Dino's clothes are sewn by hand and the designs have as much dynamic personality as the artist himself. Though experimental in their designs, they remain completely wearable and ultimately rad.
If you have old jeans that need darning or you want a Dino shirt with or without a logo, just ask and he will, in his words, "trash-cycle it." Send him your jeans and you can work out a price for a custom creation.
As the French say, "Check this shit out." Contact Dino through Facebook for a look at his shirts and stuff.
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