Let 'em Rip
1/7The designer at his New York studio with actress and friend Eva Amurri in the shorts he created.
2/7What You'll Need
khaki pants (we used a pair from dickies) orange and red acrylic paint a sponge paint brush scissors a razor blade or x-acto knife a boar-bristle hair brush painter's tape a piece of cardboard
3/7Step 1: Snip to it
Cut a pair of plain khaki pants to the desired shorts length. Benz favors a below-the-knee, nineties skater style.
4/7Step 2: Main Squeeze
Using the needle and thread, make a running stitch across the top of the fabric, with each stitch about one-quarter inch in length. When finished, pull the stitch to shirr the skirt.
5/7Step 3: Roughing it
Using a boar-bristle brush, distress the fabric within the horizontal cuts, then wash and dry the shorts for one cycle.
6/7Step 4: Winning streak
Mark an inch-wide stripe with tape along the seam and brush on paint in a gradient from dark to light. Let the paint dry and peel off the tape.
7/7The Results
Enjoy your new custom pants!
