On the rack, F.A.K.E. Couture by Jasmine Antoinette doesn't look like much. To the naked eye, the Convertible line of tube dresses, saronglike wraps, and tank tops are just that. But if you look at the instructional tags, you'll see that each of these organic basics can transform into several different outfits. And even then, until you fold, scrunch, and wrap one of these pieces for yourself it's hard to comprehend their shape-shifting properties.

"It's all about when you put it on and then it becomes whatever you make it," explains F.A.K.E. owner Jasmine Currie, who sat down with the Straight at a downtown café to talk about her love for double-duty garb. "At first, some people think it's too difficult to wear, it's too complicated, but it really isn't. You just need to play with it and it becomes more fun."

Currie came up with the idea for breathable, flexible clothes that could be tied together on the fly while she was teaching English in Taiwan four years ago.

"It was the dead of summer and it was so hot all the time," she recalls. "I just had this pashmina shawl that I wore around the house with nothing else because it was just too hot. So I thought if I could make something that felt this good and I could wear it out in public, then that would be great."

Upon her return home, she enrolled in the LaSalle College fashion-design program. And since she launched F.A.K.E. last year, Currie has received positive press locally. However, it's still a tough sell when it comes to convincing retailers.

"Their main concern is people not getting it," she says. "I've been told it's really avant-garde and it's just too outside the box for Vancouverites. So that's why I've decided to try home parties, because it's more of a demo-friendly thing." (She's seeking sales consultants–see her Web site at www.fakecouture.com/. )

In the meantime, however, the complete line is available on-line and at Twigg & Hottie (3671 Main Street), where you'll find the Large Wrap ($115) that started it all. According to Currie, this lightweight bamboo dress can be manipulated into about a dozen different looks. A lot of the versatility is due to the stretchy eco-friendly fabrics. They drape and gather in a way that looks luxurious as opposed to frumpy. The Kerchief Top ($59) also ties into a crossover halter, skintight boob tube, and a balloon-bottomed strapless. Then there's the soy Tube Dress ($105), which can be folded over into a micro mini or a pencil skirt, or you can wear it as is.

All of her wrinkle-resistant items can be rolled up to fit in a sock drawer or backpack. (They're perfect for travel.) And they only come in trend-proof basic shades like Vanilla Dream, Midnight Black, and Chocolate Treat.

"I'm not changing the style or colours every season, because it's just classic," Currie says of her Convertible collection. "I don't think fashion should be disposable, like, 'Here's my spring 2007 and it's going to be out in four months.'"

And with so many looks, Currie says investing in F.A.K.E. pieces is a good way to curb shopaholic tendencies.

"Honestly, I get frustrated because I want to go shopping, but then I go, 'Well, my dress can do that; I can turn it into that,' so I don't really need much stuff now," she says, "but then again, that was the whole point of this line."