In case you haven’t been paying attention, tie-dye is the runway-approved trend which is dominating street style this season. The ancient resist-dyeing technique which re-emerged in the United States in the ’60s, and went on to define ’70s hippie chic style, is making a staggering comeback. And if you’re a tie-dye fanatic, you must know that Kolkata-based label Huedee is the only luxury fashion label which is exclusively dedicated to tie-dye fashion.
“When we began, we didn’t really know that tie-dye is going to be the leading spring trend in 2019! We started the brand in October last year, but the conceptualising, merchandising, and curation for our line-up began in January. Tie-dye, for us, has always been about individuality and freedom of expressing oneself. It resonates with people who have an independent spirit. Our credence is ‘Colour For Everyone’,” says Ahana Agarwal, who cofounded Huedee with her husband Yash. The logo of the brand is a rainbow octopus and reflects the passion for colours which led Ahana and Yash to start the brand. “An octopus camouflages to its surroundings and has three hearts. This accurately expresses the belief, passion and love we poured into making apparel,” adds Ahana.
The ikat edit
Huedee’s rebellious prints and rainbow tie-dye numbers are the embodiment of easy and one-of-a-kind statement fashion; besides tees, tank tops, off-shoulder cape tops, and of course dresses, the label also has an incredibly cute kidswear range. “Our new collection has a lot of bags, it has backpacks for toddlers, and some cheerful totes for millennials. Our ikat collection just launched last month; the line-up features a lot of free-flowing dresses and maxi hemlines, with an ikat woven-base. We are planning a line of tie-dye sweatshirts, and we plan to distribute it among millennial influencers; it’s essentially about spreading the freedom of spirit that’s associated with tie-dye,” Ahana reveals.
Huedee also has a big focus on mental health awareness and wellness; in fact, a substantial amount of the company’s profits go toward aiding a mental health foundation. “We are working towards creating an awareness of how important emotional wellbeing is today; especially because when you see colours around you, it also works to lift your spirits,” she adds.
Gen-Z connect
Tie-dye has of course, always been the symbol for resistance, and has been a significant part of youth culture; millennial and Gen-Z have found a stunning resonance with the trend, and Ahana agrees too.
“We’ve held exhibitions and flea markets across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and it’s the youngsters whose eyes our products always catch, anywhere we go. Even those who are not buying them are very excited about the trend, and it helps them connect with their identities. But, we’ve noticed older consumers, even the middle-aged ones, also love our products; our T-shirts, for instance, are widely popular across all age groups. You’ll notice that our colours are actually never too loud, and they work with thoughtfully curated combinations,” Ahana reveals. Huedee also offers a stunning range of tie-dye belt bags, canvas totes, flap drawstring backpacks, tie-dye co-ord sets and some very versatile cotton ikat reversible dresses.
Huedee T-shirts start from Rs 799 and go up to Rs 1,100, and women’s tops start from Rs 1,090