New Waves: Shabd Simon-Alexander x O.N.S
Renowned artist and designer Shabd Simon-Alexander’s resume includes, being a professor of textiles, a collaboration with the Whitney Biennial, a project at Moma PS1, AND she even taught Martha Stewart how to tie-dye. We’re excited to say that her most recent collaboration is with none other than us, the O.N.S crew. We reached out to Shabd and asked her to develop a retro-inspired, tie-dye pattern, with dark tonal colors for a fresh twist on our winter henleys. We visited her lovely apartment in Brooklyn, and got the chance to witness her fine-tuned, tie-dye technique on her spacious rooftop. This isn’t the “elementary-school-project” stereotype of tie-dying; you’d be surprised at how meticulous the process is. It’s a science of precision, and Shabd carefully measures each drop of dye to develop the perfect color and pattern. With such passion and talent, it’s easy to see why Shabd has enjoyed such success with her work.
Read on to learn more about Shabd and her craft, and be sure to check out our limited edition Tie-dye henleys available online now.
You’ve collaborated with various designers & artists, developed a do-it-yourself tie-dye kit, and you even wrote a book on tie-dye. When did you first fall in love with the art of dyeing textiles?
I’ve always loved color and textiles, but I discovered dyeing by accident at a community garden summer party. The moment I started, I knew I wanted to do it every day, and eventually it turned into a career for me.
https://vimeo.com/195007861
“It can be hard to do small collaborations, because every fabric acts differently and some people are uncomfortable with that.”
We’re really excited about collaborating with you and adding a bit of fine art to our Fall/Winter collection. How has this project been different from your past collaborations?
This project has been so much fun because your team is so great and enthusiastic and open to discovery. It can be hard to do small collaborations, because every fabric acts differently and some people are uncomfortable with that, so a lot of testing is required. But we just tried your fabric with a couple of new techniques and all of us loved it so we went with one of them! I also just moved and I’m temporarily without a studio, so I’m working on my roof. When I realized that I didn’t have a drain up there, I decided to create a new dyeing technique that is less water intensive, and it really came out great. Sometimes restrictions can encourage new growth!
Shop O.N.S x Shabd
During the photo-shoot, we noted that the dyeing process involves a lot of science, and requires a lot of precision and accuracy. How long did it take you to perfect the art and what’s your process for nailing the right color and pattern you’re seeking?
As anyone who tried tie-dye at summer camp knows, it’s easy to jump in and make something fun and great even as a first timer, but to be able to envision something and create it, or to repeat results, it’s incredibly important to treat it like the science that it is. I typically like to do rounds of testing where I let myself play, but I always have to take detailed notes through the process so that once I discover the result I love, I can recreate it on a larger scale. The art and the science and the play are in perfect balance.
“The art and the science and the play are in perfect balance.”
It seems you have a real joy for fine art, and a knack for creating with your hands. How were you nurtured into the creative process growing up?
I’m really lucky to come from a creative family, and my parents fostered and encouraged me to follow my passion. Some of my earliest memories are of mixing food coloring in my Montessori preschool and watching new colors emerge. I also went to a Waldorf school for a few years and learned a lot of hand crafts of different kinds there – we were really encouraged to create with our own hands.
The concept of your “Magic Jar Dye Kit” is so much fun and incredibly simple. When did you first have the idea to develop it?
The dyeing technique itself was inspired by the mess I made in my studio as a by-product of my typical dye process, basically a “happy accident.” The idea to create an all-in-one dye kit came as a response to requests I got from customers and fans. Each step in my journey has been in response to them, it seems. When I first started creating dyed clothing for myself, people asked to buy them, so I started a clothing line. People responded to the fact that I was making them myself and were curious to learn, so I began teaching in a friend’s home studio. Fans from outside NYC who couldn’t travel to NYC also wanted to learn, so I wrote the book. And finally, timid first time dyers said that even with the book they were afraid to take the first step to becoming a dyer, so I created the all-in-one dye kit that is a “no-fail” way to make something gorgeous every time all by yourself.
There’s always something so charming about handmade one-of-a-kind DIY goods and knowing the face of local artists. You’re based in Brooklyn and a lot of your products are made right on your apartment roof. Can you talk a little about running your own business, and what’s so attractive about handcrafted products?
I think in today’s age, more than ever, it’s important to put your money where your mouth is, and support the things you believe in and the people doing good work. When you spend your money with an independent company or maker, whether local or global, you know that that money will continue to support their local community. With all of the distance we’ve created through computer screens and technology, people also have the urge to go back to their roots, either making things themselves or surrounding themselves with things that people made with love. And the pleasure you get from looking around you and knowing the person, or story, behind the objects that you own and wear is impossible to overstate. Finally, when you buy something that an artisan made, it’s likely to be unique, which makes for a great gift!
On to the book, you basically wrote the manual for Tie-Dying. Can you tell us a bit about Tie-Dye: Dye It, Wear It, Share It and what readers will find in the book?
Tie-Dye had a huge moment in the 60’s and 70’s, but since then it’s been relegated to a specific aesthetic and moment in our minds. When I started dyeing, I discovered the myriad ways you could use the technique to make your own aesthetic, and the many versions that have been created around the globe throughout history. I decided to write the book to share the techniques for creating beautiful tie-dye, shibori and other dyeing techniques that I spent years discovering and developing. In the book, I share design secrets, color guidance, expert tips on making each piece distinctly your own, plus twenty-two step-by-step projects for garments, accessories, and home décor items.
“I try to get out of the city and travel and explore as often as possible too. As long as I get a variety in my life I’m happy.”
We loved the easy-going and fun vibe you created during the photo-shoot. What’s a day outside of the studio look like for you?
No two days are the same for me. I could be dyeing all day long, running around the city on errands or taking inspiration trips to museums, or working on spreadsheets and communication. I do everything for my business, from design to production to press and sales. I’m equally happy working alone or having a big team of punky art kids and go-getter young women helping me out with production at the studio. If I’m working alone too long, I make sure to make lunch meetings and dates with friends to get myself out of the house and stay sane. And I try to get out of the city and travel and explore as often as possible too. As long as I get a variety in my life I’m happy.
Finally what’s next for Shabd Simon-Alexander, do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
This has been a crazy year for myself and for the world. I had to move out of the sunny giant artist loft that I lived and worked in for a decade because developers bought it. I decided to slow down on work because of that and not open a new studio immediately, which gave me free time to do fun projects like this one with you, and to focus on things happening in the community and around the globe. I’ve been working on political campaigns and community organizations, and volunteering with a local community center. It’s amazing to have a job and a lifestyle that allows me this flexibility. I’m still filling orders and running my business part time, but I get to focus my creative energies on other things right now which is a breath of fresh air. I’m not sure what’s next creatively, I have plenty of ideas but I’m in no rush to settle on one, I’m enjoying the ride on this path of discovery!
Follow Shabd on Instagram here, and you can visit her website here.
If you liked this story, check out more in our Urban Transplants issue.
