RETAILING

If you’re one of those people who would rather do it yourself, Flying Colours in Irvine may be for you.

The sportswear shop lets customers create their own painted designs on sportswear. Non-toxic paints and glitters are used to create personalized works of art on apparel or accessories.

Shoppers apply the paints in one of eight work stations. Then the clothing is put through a spinner, to “spin out” the design, said Bobbie Friedlander, the store’s owner. “So if you put too much or too little paint, it still looks good.” Heat-setting then makes the clothing wash-and-wearable.

The average cost of a spin-art T-shirt, including paints, is about $14 plus tax, according to the store.

Friedlander said she got the idea for the store--which sells pre-decorated and unadorned clothing--from several similar shops in San Diego.

The concept seems to work. Since Flying Colours opened last month, Friedlander said, the store has been busy with customers of all ages.

“I have a lady in her 70s here now who made two sweat shirts,” Friedlander said. The other day, some Girl Scouts came in the store and tried their hands at painting clothes. “We’ve had a lot of college students, too,” Friedlander said.

Flying Colours is on Campus Drive in the Marketplace shopping center.