right photo by Caitlin Mociun
Textile and surface designer Shabd Simon-Alexander has just released a new book, Tie-Dye: Dye It, Wear It, Share It, which shares tips and tricks for creating your own wearable tie-dyed creations. She spoke with Fly about her inspirations, shares a peek in her studio and some advice about creating a brand.
Tell us about the book, how did it come to be?
When I started playing around with tie-dye, I couldn't find any books so I created one that people could use for inspiration and reference.
Favorite project in the book?
How can you choose a favorite?! I loved being able to take the time to do really beautiful but time-consuming pieces that I wouldn't be able to do in a large scale for production, like the polka dot dress, the shibori napkins, or the ombre gown. I also love that some of the simplest pieces to make produce the most stunning results, like the watercolor dress and the crystalline scarf.
Your earlier work was inspired by nebulas and galaxies, what is currently inspiring your work?
My
summer collection is all sunshine yellow, sky blue clouds,
kaleidoscopic rainbows, and the stark contrast of black & white.
Can you share some advice for artists and textiles designers looking to create their own textile/surface design brand?
Find your own niche, look out there and see what's missing, not what's popular. And don't start a business based on what you like to look at or wear, start it based on what you enjoy doing, because you'll be doing it every day. Honestly, I didn't own any tie-dye or even like it that much before I started doing it, but I had so much fun working on creating designs.
