Through thrift, vintage and DIY apparel, the couture avant-garde is reborn.

There is an intriguing paradox evolving within the world of fashion. There now exists the peculiar possibility of finding a T-shirt in a bin at a charity shop for 25 cents, only to find the same shirt, slightly altered, selling at designer stores for upwards of $200. Kinda makes you want to employ the DIY ethic and start your own business customizing smelly used T-shirts with a rhinestoning kit from the local craft store. You may ask yourself, "why didn't I think of that?"

Tracy Tolken, author of "Vintage, The Art of Dressing Up," writes, "The exercise of free will in fashion is one of the true attractions of vintage style." Free will connotes the expressive and individualistic qualities of clothing as art—using the wardrobe as a tool to reveal one's self. Shopping vintage is a subtle revolt against mainstream fashion offerings.

Reinventing style through customization is primarily a youth-inspired phenomenon, a necessity brought on by lack of money, an abundance of creative energy, and a desire to assert individuality. Fashion becomes an extension of self rather than a cookie-cutter formula promoted by the media. And vintage and thrift stores are a material resource for this art form like brushes to a painter.

Bust magazine, an edgy publication for women "who need to get something off their chest," has an ongoing section called "She's Crafty," which contains step-by step instructions for clothing modification projects. One issue teaches you how to make a skirt from an old pair of jeans in just ten easy steps, the last one being "Go out. Have fun." Or learn to knit your very own bikini. For the knitting impaired, online instructional websites are recommended in the feature.

There is art in the juxtaposition of styles. Ratty thrift store Levi's worn with Prada heels. US store Recycle in Chicago offers consignment designer shoes and apparel along with cool vintage pieces. A vintage sequined skirt worn with $10 flip-flops. Injecting personality into an outfit is a necessity; head-to-toe dressing is seen as a creative cop-out.

Vintage exists on all levels, from Salvation Army (one step above dumpster diving) to Antique Boutique in New York, which, along with unique vintagewear offerings, showcases underground New York designers.

Transfer International in Soho provides the previously unattainable both in style and price to those in the know. Offering samples from couture shows and couture consignment, they create an eclectic mix of obscure finds unavailable to the masses. Not only a New York phenomenon, couture vintage is all the rage in Hollywood. YSL and Gucci vintage pieces are more coveted than the freshest runway fashions.

Vintage e-tail sites such as enoki + vintagecouture have benefitted from this backlash in fashion ideology. These sites are similar in format to eBay, but they cater solely to the niche of high fashion vintage clothing and accessories. "It's an allover trend for nostalgia in our technology based society," says Madeline Meyorovitz of Enoki.

Whatever the mainstream trend, be it fashion, technology or design, there is always a backlash. Wherever the masses point, there will be those who run the opposite direction. Vintage is a backlash against technology, repetition, and the mainstream. Take something and make it uniquely your own. Express yourself.

Imitation of Christ, a rebellious collection to rival the dominant couture ideologies, is fashion evolved into performance art. With a mix of thrift store finds artfully and provocatively "maimed" together, clothing provides a soap box for these young designers. "Bring me the head of Tom Ford" scrawled across a vintage YSL shirt, a statement that reveals the cynical convictions of the designers: no brand is sacred. Since each IOC item is a one-of-a-kind piece created from vintage and thrift finds, each becomes a coveted piece of art. At 22 and 27, the young innovators(and 2 of my personal idols), Matt Damhave and Tara Subkoff have dared to take a stab at the industry, revolting against the stodgy conglomeration of fashion legacy giants. So far the duo has resisted selling out by mass producing the collection.

In a society where diversity is exalted, renegades and individualists are using clothing as yet another medium to set themselves apart. As the DIY phenomenon of thrift/vintage customization is emulated in high fashion, lo-fi visionaries are changing the industry. What's next? There's no telling. However, one thing is certain: as this trend creeps into the mainstream, it will just further inspire the minds of these young creatives to reinvent themselves once again.