Alongside the vaunted designer apparel, purses and shoes currently in demand, a new style has come into vogue: quirky, individually designed clothing, handbags, totes, and other personal accessories.

The popularity of hit reality TV shows like Project Runway, a show that pits budding fashion designers against each other in a contest to win an appearance in New York's Fashion Week and possibly $100,000 in start-up money, has made fashion design an appealing avocation. New books are regularly popping up with instructions on how to design one's own apparel, handbags and totes in an amazing variety of styles; and funky, chic accessories are in fashion with increasing numbers of young people. Far from being wedded to expensive designer labels, young people also value individual expression, and the most artistic among them are generating their own creations. Materials ranging from organic cotton and hemp to exotic yarns, both natural and glitzy man-made, and unusual trimmings, including feathers, ornate buttons, beads and other finishings, offer a wealth of opportunities for creative expression.

The result is "wearable art" that is a unique reflection of the wearer's personality and sense of style, a wardrobe that speaks volumes about the consciousness of the owner, and an indication that the pendulum is finally beginning to swing from the realm of high-ticket designer chic to grassroots creativity.