Opinion | Tie-dye is back (yes, really) and this time it’s not just for hippies
Sophisticated at Proenzer Schouler, subtle at Sacai, quirky at Prada and old-school psychedelic at The Elder Statesman, the whimsical pattern receives a high-fashion update
Tie-dye has been all over the fashion pages since it was declared a trend for spring/summer 2018 and again this year, but I didn’t think real people would wear it until the other day. A woman walked into my doctor’s waiting room in – wait for it – a bright pink tie-dye T-shirt, leopard-print maxi skirt and chunky white “ugly” trainers. Three big trends colliding on one body. It could have worked for a camp-themed party, à la Met Gala 2019, but in real life it looked, um, bold.
But what respected designer would dream of toying with the psychedelic pattern associated with surfers and Grateful Dead fans? You’d be surprised.
Oscar de la Renta, Celine, Halston, Balmain and Tom Ford have all flirted with tie-dye. Dior has been playing with it for decades: Marc Bohan in the 1960s, John Galliano in 2001, Raf Simons in 2013, and now Maria Grazia Chiuri, whose take on tie-dye appears in the house’s spring/summer 2019 collection.
The technique is a form of resist dyeing, with the fabric knotted, twisted and tied to prevent the dye from reaching certain parts, thereby creating a pattern. Resist dyeing has been used for centuries in cultures worldwide, but the closest method to modern tie-dye is probably Japanese shibori, which dates to the eighth century. However, most of us associate tie-dye with the late 60s, hippies, the psychedelic movement and rock stars such as Janis Joplin.
Altuzarra brought the print to silk dresses and separates for spring/summer 2016, and reissued them in 2018. Virgil Abloh has been known to use (and wear) tie-dye for his Off-White label, as well as his debut collection for Louis Vuitton menswear, in 2018.
