| class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Many | | | | clothes that have been designed with an ethnic |
| fashion designers like to look to different cultures and | | | | influence. India is one of the obvious places to start |
| traditions when it comes to designing clothing. This is | | | | from. The traditional Indian block printed fabric provides |
| because they are seen as different and exotic, as | | | | an excellent base from which to create a whole new |
| most of the things worn in these cultures is based on | | | | style from. Many of the block printing techniques are |
| patterns and images that are not seen in our | | | | unchanged over centuries but the addition of |
| everyday life. When it comes to ethnic patterns and | | | | machinery and modern dyestuffs has allowed many |
| inspiration there are generally four consistent areas | | | | of the fabrics to be mass produced. Often alongside |
| that inspiration has come from. This article looks at | | | | block printing is vat dyeing, particularly using indigo as a |
| some of the areas that have inspired patterns and | | | | base. Indigo can be used for overdyeing in the block |
| clothing styles. | | | | printing technique, can be worked with using resist |
| The main areas where designers go for inspiration are | | | | techniques (such as tie-dye or mud resist work) or can |
| Asia, Africa, South America and indigenous populations | | | | be used in simple dip dyeing. Dip dyeing allows deeper |
| where they will use the imagery in costume, such as | | | | shades to be developed on the cloth and can give a |
| Aboriginal dress or Native American culture. | | | | garment shape trough this use of building up colour. |
| Going back to the 1970s and the hippy movement you | | | | Add to the printed or dyed fabric the beautifully |
| will find a lot of ethnic dressing and this is probably | | | | elaborate embroidery that is done to highlight the |
| when ethnic style became a more mainstream look. | | | | designs on the cloth and you have clothing that |
| The ‘hippies’ of the 1970s used a lot of ethnic | | | | although ethnic has designs that are produced to such |
| clothing in their style, which had influences ranging from | | | | a high quality it is a pleasure to wear. |
| indian mirror embroidery, through Afghan coats, sari | | | | India is now home to a big industrial textile industry and |
| material skirts and peasant blouses to North American | | | | can produce copious amounts of cotton and silk cloth |
| influenced suede waistcoats. | | | | at reasonable prices allowing more of us the chance |
| This era definitely had a big influence on fashion and | | | | to delight in ethnic clothing. |
| style and many of the styles that are around today | | | | Ethnic clothing gives you a really individual look which |
| have the roots in the 1970s. | | | | suits a range of ages and is easy to wear. |
| From the 1970s onwards there has been a rise in | | | | |