Originally from Spain, Pelayo Diaz studies fashion design at Central Saint Martin’s in London and is already somewhat of a fixture in the fashion blogosphere. When he started modifying regular t-shirts with safety pins last year giving an old punk trend an updated look, everyone took notice.


How and when did you first get the idea to modify your t-shirts with safety pins?
It was last September, a couple of days before flying to New York for fashion week with friends that I wanted to wear something different, something made by myself.

It must be very labour-intensive, how many pins do you use per t-shirt?
I use about 500 per t-shirt, as the pins go all around the neck sleeve and chest… it takes about 4 hours! And I can’t make more than two in a row because my eyes get very tired. I feel like an old man because I have to keep stopping!

How do you try to make your own creativity popular?
Well, I guess mostly by posting it on my blog, katelovesme.net, and it helps that the pictures I posted were shot by other known bloggers.

Do you modify a lot of the things you own/buy? What are some other examples?
Yeah I do… I remember back in Spain when my mum used to buy me clothes, I would go to my grandmother and ask her to do alterations for me. I used to really love watching her sew. Then I remember sewing dozens of buttons on a t-shirt, over a huge logo that was already there. Everyone used to ask me about that t-shirt whenever I wore it. I think customizing clothes is a sign that you really love them.