Embroidered Clothing: A New Trend to Follow?
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Embroidery is not just for grandmothers. At least, it no longer is. With the rise of vintage and customization, a new trend is emerging in the market for personalized clothing: embroidery on clothing. Under the thread of the needles, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and even panties transform into a poetic version of traditional garments. Sweet words, claims, funny drawings… embroidery establishes itself as a new signature, one that highlights individuality. But in all this, can we talk about a new trend? We will attempt to answer that by decoding the subject: explanations, characteristics, pioneering brands… An overview of a new current: embroidered clothing.
Personalized clothing: a new phenomenon?
The personalization of clothing consists of adding a logo, a message, a drawing, or a word on a basic garment such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, polo, tank top, or an accessory like a cap, scarf, or even panties. And while the principle remains the same, it is the technique used that differentiates one personalized garment from another. Among the most widespread methods are screen printing, digital printing, or embroidery. And if there’s one textile printing method that stands out, it’s embroidery. According to the hashtag #embroidery, which has nearly 22 million posts, or the popular account Badass Cross Stitch with its 160,000 followers, we quickly understand the enthusiasm for this DIY activity traditionally associated with the elderly.
Embroidery is thus making a comeback. More and more people are rediscovering the pleasure of creating with their own hands. And it must be said that when it comes to inspiration, embroidery offers numerous possibilities: cross stitch, stem stitch, French knots, color games, poetic patterns, activist messages… With customization, clothing becomes a canvas on which we weave our aspirations, desires, and wishes.
With the rise of DIY and a taste for craftsmanship, brands have positioned themselves on a relatively new credo, that of embroidered clothing. By selling hand-embroidered t-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories, labels attract a young audience seeking identity and who appreciate well-made products, made in France, and commitment. And it is in this direction that a new form of personalized t-shirts is emerging: clothing with a positive impact. Gone are the messages like “complainer,” “pouty,” or “hottie,” words are now an ode to love, femininity, or empowerment. The goal? To assert rights and restore confidence in those who wear embroidered clothing.
Embroidered clothing: main characteristics
The importance of upcycling
Upcycling involves reusing a material to give it a second life. An upcycled garment is therefore a piece that has already been worn, but that we reuse and transform to give it a new shape, purpose, or utility. And embroidered clothing generally follows the upcycling trend. New brands strive to find vintage gems in thrift stores or source textiles that have never been sold, which they carefully enhance with the expertise of their skilled hands. And the result is even better. Old fabric scraps or garments are transformed into a fashion piece that boasts a new identity and tells a story. It is a true creative process that aligns with a circular economy approach.
Tailoring as a craft
Another characteristic specific to embroidered clothing: craftsmanship.
Embroidery on clothing celebrates craftsmanship, hand sewing, and the pleasure of meticulous work. Embroidery is an ancient art that dates back to antiquity. By using this textile printing technique, brands of embroidered clothing seek to restore the reputation of this forgotten method by highlighting the refinement and precision that this art requires. As a result, hand-embroidered clothing is a guarantee of quality and finesse. To some extent, wearing them supports craftsmanship.
Cross-stitch as a spokesperson
A t-shirt as a means of expression? Yes, it’s possible. And that’s what you can experience if you get one of these hand-embroidered t-shirts. As mentioned earlier, customized clothing is taking a new turn towards commitment. And embroidery is the tool to achieve that. It’s not uncommon to see activist words sewn, motifs representing the female body, or drawings that break the taboo surrounding menstruation.
On another note, there are also light and poetic motifs for those who don’t want to publicly display their claims. Hearts, bouquets of flowers, animals, puns, hamburgers, planets… the message can be just as quirky.
Personalization as a playground
One last thing to know about embroidered clothing is the possibility of personalizing your garment. Yes, what would a custom piece be if you couldn’t add that special message that’s dear to you?
In our society, there is a growing demand for identity claims. In the fashion world, this translates to wearing clothing that aligns with our personality, adopting a style that reflects who we are, far from the codes of fast fashion. In other words, we increasingly aspire to resemble who we truly are, rather than the neighbor next door. It is in this sense that customization services are becoming popular.
Personalizing means giving a soul to your garment, imbuing it with symbolism and adding value. And in the realm of embroidered clothing, this service makes perfect sense. Specifically, you can request to have a photo, message, word, or drawing embroidered, and the seamstresses interpret your work on the garment you select. Nice, right?
Bonus: Should you follow the trend of embroidered clothing? Our take on the matter
To answer the question, we can already state that consumer demand for vintage and customized clothing is clearly on the rise. Thrift stores, second-hand platforms, and DIY have never been as fashionable as they are today. Embroidered clothing meets this need, but the trend is not yet clearly identifiable. Even though the interest is there, the market offer is still timid.
On our side, we think that acquiring pieces with embroidery is a fantastic idea! Here are three advantages we attribute to embroidered clothing:
- A differentiation criterion: tired of wearing soulless clothing? By choosing to dress in an embroidered garment, you allow yourself to have style. Whether small or large, colorful or not, fun or serious, embroidery inevitably adds depth to the outfit. Ultimately, it’s the detail that makes the difference.
- Support for emerging creators. The brands that offer embroidered clothing are relatively young. Wearing their creations supports them in their entrepreneurial journey. But it also supports a craft and an economic model with a future.
- A way to consume differently: limited quantities, recovered fabrics, sourced materials… Embroidered clothing falls within a responsible approach. Purchasing a customized piece is, in a way, a stand against the fashion industry, a good way to take a step further towards a more committed fashion.
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Cover image: © Maison Labiche Paris
