Forget Everything You Thought About Tie Dye—It's back and it’s exciting.
Tie-dye garments have a lot of associations—think rock ‘n’ roll and the hippy counterculture of the 1960s &1970s. Pictured on iconic acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin in their performances at Woodstock, tie-dye became a symbol of psychedelia and rebellion that would go on to resonate with other cultural movements such as new-wave, grunge and surf cultures.
2019 into 2020 and beyond sees the evolution of tie-dye as a strong print trend that has been modernised. Tie-dye has officially been elevated to high-fashion status becoming a full-blown fashion trend both on and off the runways.
Complex tie-dye patterns look refreshed in unconventional colors and experimental digital tie-dye patterns are emerging as a new method of creating visual texture and interest. Tie-dyes pop on dark grounds, while slogans are printed over tie-dye patterns and painterly strokes, inky lines and bleeding dyes create tie-dye texture in classic T-Shirt print designs.
Check out some edgy new ways to use tie-dye techniques to create modern T-Shirt looks.
1- PASTEL TIE-DYE
Soft, delicate and contemporary pastel tie-dye prints feel crisp and edgy, creating texture and a lightness to designs that's subtle and refreshing.
2- SHIBORI TIE DYE
Shibori is known to be one of oldest Japanese dyeing techniques. Shibori is the Japanese “resist” dyeing technique that involves folding and twisting cloth, binding it using indigo dye to get that iconic, deep blue monochromatic color.
3- PSYCHEDELIC TIE-DYE
Bold and vibrant tie-dye colors merge creating a colourful kaleidoscope of patterns with a trippy psychedelic punch. The bolder the better, no color rules apply here.
4- GRUNGE TIE-DYE
A nostalgic nod to the grunge counterculture history of tie dye. Dark and earthy colors are blended with raw finish's, skull and rock prints.
5- GREEN TIE-DYE
Greens are a fresh new way to modernise tie-dye with hues that range from a super-bright neon green to a yellow-green, pistachio or more of a deep chartreuse. The possibilities are endless for eccentric T-Shirt designs.
6- PLACEMENT PRINT
Retro and modern T-Shirt placement designs are printed over tie-dye bases for a more familiar use of tie-dye, but be quirky, clash colors and themes.
7- PANEL PRINT
Another creative way to modernise tie-dye is by using it in unexpected and quirky panels on garments and T-Shirts. Seamless tie-dye patterns can be used on sleeve panels and full panel prints can feature tie-dye in unique shapes around the shoulders or hems.
(**All mood board images are sourced from DownloadT-ShirtDesigns and Pinterest.
Their purpose is to communicate design trends and ideas and to inspire.
The mood board images above are NOT for resale or reuse.**)
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