FROM: Jorie Kay Design
JorieKayDesign.com
CONTACT: Axiom Communications
Marjorie Kaplan
marjoriek@axiominc.net or 201.741.6616
JORIE KAY DESIGN GIVES FORGOTTEN GRAPHIC TEES A SECOND ACT by TURNING CASTOFFS INTO ONE-OF-A-KIND WEARABLE ART
LYNDHURST, N.J. — August 19, 2026 — Jorie Kay Design isn’t interested in giving old clothes a polite little makeover.
Founder and designer Marjorie Kaplan takes pre-loved graphic tees, overlooked clothing, reclaimed textiles and unexpected materials and turns them into one-of-a-kind clothing and bags with attitude, history and a decidedly rebellious streak.
A self-taught sewist and fiber artist, Kaplan built Jorie Kay Design at the intersection of secondhand shopping, fashion, music culture and art with a healthy disregard for the idea that worn-out means worthless.
“Where many can’t get past the holes, stains and other proof of wear, I see a graphic waiting for its next life—maybe paired with denim or other textiles to become a bag or an edgy piece of clothing that otherwise wouldn’t exist,” says Kaplan. “I admit that this started out as an excuse to feed my thrifting obsession, but it’s become my answer to those who desire one-of-a-kind wearable art and are looking for clothing that supports their eco-conscious lifestyles.”
As for deciding what each rescued piece becomes?
Kaplan says she doesn’t.
The graphics tell her.
Kaplan is still hunting for her thrifting holy grail: an actual vintage tee. So far, no luck.
And despite what she does for a living, she makes one promise: when she finally finds one, the scissors are staying far, far away.
“That one stays intact,” she says.
Jorie Kay Design releases themed collections of roughly three to eight pieces about once a month. Recent drops include Seas the Day, a collection of patterned beach bags, and The Days Between, which reimagined Grateful Dead graphic tees in honor of Jerry Garcia’s birthday and passing.
Members of the brand’s Backstage Pass get first dibs on new drops before everyone else.
And the story doesn’t stop at the finished piece. On Instagram, followers get a backstage look at Kaplan digging through racks—and occasionally giant boxes—in search of the perfect band, music and team tees; navigating sewing disasters; sharing the strange realities of creator life; and dealing with surprise inspections from Lucky, Jorie Kay Design’s Quality Control Manager. Kaplan’s studio mannequins, Samantha and Gladys also make appearances. Gladys is modest and prefers to be covered up while Samantha is more of a free spirit. Like most things at Jorie Kay Design, their personalities emerged on their own.
The result is sustainable fashion without the sermon.
It’s loud. It’s imperfect. It has history.
Not Vintage. Reborn.
Visit JorieKayDesign.com to shop the collection and follow @jorie_kay_design on Instagram and Facebook for new drops, behind-the-scenes chaos and more from the studio.
ABOUT MARJORIE KAPLAN
A Bergen County native who has spent most of her adult life in New Jersey, Marjorie Kaplan is the Founder, Lead Designer, Buyer, Content Director, Creative Director, Social Media Director, eCommerce Director and CFO—Chief Fabric Organizer—of Jorie Kay Design.
A longtime fiber artist with a love of crochet and creating with textiles, Kaplan added sewing to her creative arsenal during the COVID quarantine, when she began making colorful masks for friends, family and colleagues. She quickly discovered that the hum of the sewing machine was surprisingly calming—and that sewing opened up an entirely new way to play with the materials she loved.
Those skills eventually collided with her passion for secondhand shopping, music, and fashion to become Jorie Kay Design, where overlooked graphic tees, clothing, fabrics and other materials get an entirely unexpected next life.