When you see tie-dye, you might think ‘60s. The trippy, colorful patterns have that hippie vibe for sure, but tie-dye has been pretty eternal. Who doesn’t love splashes of color in their lives?
It’s really taken a big jump recently, as the trends have shifted from woodsy, folksy patterns and into some more colorful and bright trends. And now we’re at a point where things that were popular in the late ‘90s and ‘00s are popular again—fanny packs, bucket hats, etc.
How do we know it’s so popular? Well, the best litmus test in fashion seems to be that if Forever 21 steals a design without crediting the designer, it’s probably popular. Why else would they do it?
The latest design theft (alleged) was a tie-dye shirt designed by California designer Amber Richele.
Richele told Insider that one of her Instagram followers showed her an item for sale from Forever 21 that looked a lot like her tank top. The main difference was that Forever 21 was selling it for $15, but Richele’s design was $45.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD4ujQkjJBt/
“I’ve had that design since June, and it’s one of my more popular designs,” Richele told Insider. “They decided to take my design, mass-produce it, use cheap labor and cheap materials to do it, and sell it for half the price. It was really frustrating to see. Forever 21 is notorious for doing this kind of stuff. They steal from independent designers, especially designers of color. They’re forever getting dragged for it, but they keep doing it.”
So what’s sparking the tie-dye rebirth to this extent? Well, one thing might be that making tie-dye shirts is a fun way to spend a day. Everyone’s been looking for new hobbies during quarantine, and we can only make so much bread. Families with children need a fun way to occupy the time, and tie-dying is a great way to do that.
In July, Oprah Magazine even called tie-dye “the unofficial uniform of the pandemic.”
It was an early crafts project for people spanning decades, so it’s instantly recognizable either through nostalgia or finding it for the first time as a kid right now.
And every design is different, so it’s a way to express creativity and individuality, even if you follow the same steps as someone else.
Cate Blanchett is on trend in tie-dye shirt ensemble as she arrives at the Venice Film Festival https://t.co/PIPMkeOOd3
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) September 7, 2020
With so many tie-dye shirts being added to wardrobes, either from backyard projects or high-end designers, it’s firmly back in the fashion zeitgeist. And as maybe the hottest fashion trend going right now, it’s definitely worth pitching for customers looking to grab some attention with apparel.
Maybe just make sure that the color scheme and design pattern isn’t identical to someone else’s work first.
