BY CARLEY DRYDEN >STAFF WRITER

Evey Rothstein smiles shyly as she's directed around clothing racks. It's her first photo shoot and she's a little flustered.

"I'm used to being behind the scenes," she says, her porcelain cheeks turning a rosy pink. "I'm new to the whole photo thing."

The budding Los Angeles fashion designer, who in the industry goes by just her first name, shuffles across the hardwood floor of her living room in furry pink leg warmers, a pink hoodie, a black baby-doll top, a chunky glass-bead necklace and thick-rim black glasses.

Evey's clothing: hard to miss. Evey herself: sweet, soft-spoken, constantly smiling - with a girl-next-door air about her.

Until you discover this girl wore pillowcases as skirts to school.

"I hate rules," she says. "They made us wear a skirt every day so I would wear pants with five skirts on top or a duct-tape skirt. I was on the swim team, so sometimes I would go to school with just a towel around my waist."

Evey's eccentric creations sparked a successful high-school business. Friends brought old pillowcases or neckties for her to turn into purses.

Throughout high school and college, she worked at clothing factories in downtown L.A. and Vernon. Soon after graduating from UCLA in 2004, she had her first fashion show, at a dive bar in Marina del Rey.

Evey's current obsession with Japanese street culture and Harajuku girls is demonstrated in the leg warmers, miniskirts, tank tops and hoodies in her current line, which she calls "Rebellion Is Sweet." Other inspirations for her clothing lines include My Little Pony, RainbowBrite, Kid Robot and indie, punk and emo bands such as the Shins, Postal Service and the Get Up Kids.

Her clothes are for edgy girls who still want to be girly, she says.

She's the wardrobe stylist for Fuel TV and the Vans Warped Tour. She also has designed outfits for the video game "World of Warcraft" (for the character Tyri), as well as for pro skaters, snowboarders, long board surfers and for indie, punk and rock music videos.

Yet teeny-boppers make up a significant portion of her fan base.

"Girl bands trying to be Hannah Montana are wearing my clothes," she says, giggling.

Her appearance confirms the anomaly that is Evey. Her forehead is covered with traditional, blunt china doll bangs. The rest of her chocolate mane is tossed up in a messy bun with hints of light pink highlights teasing to her playful style. The cheeks of the rebellious 20-something are constantly flushed.

"There's nothing I hate except conformity," she says. "I give a person props for wearing something that stands out. There are a lot of celebs with stylists and the clothes don't fit their personality. Just because it's cool and out there, doesn't mean you should wear it."

Though her goal is to open stores in L.A., New York's East Village, Chicago and Japan, right now she is busy filling all of the orders she gets online. She asserts that she's the model of a starving artist.

"All my money goes into my business," she says.

And that's how she likes it.

"I don't ever want to sell out," Evey says. "I don't want to be owned. I never want to let it get so big that I'm manufacturing overseas and I don't know what's going on at the factories.

Her experience working in downtown factories raised her awareness of poor working conditions and child labor.

"I'd rather be smaller and less successful than be unethical," she says. "But you can do both. You can be successful and ethical and knowledgeable about your business."

Carly Dryden (310) 540-5511, Ext. 417