THOUGH many think that tie dye started being used on clothes in the 1960s, this isn’t really the case. In reality, people have been tie dyeing things since 4,000 BCE. 

People would use bandhani patterns–patterns that are done by being tie dyed and plucked into bindings–on fabric, which is what we now see on bandanas in the modern day.

The practice of tie dyeing continued to spread its influence to Peru, Nigeria, America, and eventually, the Philippines. In fact, Filipinos are some of the earliest to use this dyeing technique. In the past, the Bagobo tribe in the country would tie yarn before then dyeing and weaving fabric, taking inspiration from the Malay as well as from other countries in Southeast Asia.

While tie dye in the Philippines first took root in the clothing of tribespeople, it can now be seen everywhere in the metro, from clothing stores in the malls to tiangges and ukay-ukays on the corner. 

Now when people think tie dye, they often think of the same thing: white t-shirts dyed bright colors in a swirling pattern, often worn as a cover-up for summer. 

But 27-year-old Shayne Lopez, a graduate of the International Academy of Film and Television, said tie dye has the potential to be much more.

That is exactly why they (Lopez identifies as genderfluid) decided to put up their own brand called TieDiet. They wanted to help people have more fun in color. 

The person behind it all

Lopez’s journey into fashion began way back when they were still in college. In film school, they were taught the importance of telling a story–which is exactly what they decided to do with TieDiet.

TieDiet started just with Lopez selling clothes on their online Instagram thrift shop @cebuthriftedpicks back in 2013, when they were struggling to live off their allowance because it wasn’t enough to sustain their daily needs. They then noticed that people would often ask if they could buy what Lopez was wearing, always showing love and appreciation for their fashion, which is why they decided to make a profit out of their style.

Lopez quickly fell in love with the process of styling and shooting their models. They started experimenting more and more by cutting up their products, then bleaching them, and eventually tie dyeing them.

Soon enough, they started forming a vision of what they wanted TieDiet to be: a way to dress people who wanted to express themselves and have fun, both in and out of color. 

Lopez then officially made an Instagram account for TieDiet back in 2018, wherein their first collections were largely inspired by food and drinks, as seen in some of their debut pieces, such as the Fresh Water and the Flaming Hot Cheetos, which they consider to be their first-ever hit.

“That really catapulted me up there,” they said about the design. 

Since they started, Lopez has managed to make a name for themselves in the fashion industry, with their clothes being worn by the likes of Shaira Luna, Blaster Silonga, Maris Rascal, Nadine Lustre, and even Bretman Rock. 

Something that helped them grow was moving from Cebu to Manila to make connections with different creators, photographers, and stylists.

They felt that in Cebu, their pieces wouldn’t be appreciated as much as in Manila. They believe that people in Cebu are more practical, and would rather choose something branded rather than something they designed.

Lopez noticed that since they started, they’ve become more confident in experimenting with their designs, as well as with working with different artists, designers, and brands.

“Before, I would just do everything by myself and be scared to reach out,” they shared.

“But now, I love to collaborate. Basically, I just want to elevate tie dye, ‘cause people think tie dye is just beach shirts… honestly tie dye can be worn any time of the year, there’s no bad time to wear [it.],” they added.  

Making connections

TieDiet’s success is not something that happened overnight. When they first started, Lopez would reach out to whomever they could to get their name out there. It was only when their pieces were worn by Maris Rascal on ASAP that they started to blow up.

After that, other celebrities started contacting them, as well as other brands and stylists. They collaborated with artist Andre Chan, who paints designs on their tie dyed clothes; together they’ve been able to make stunning pieces, such as their collaboration on the handpainted tie dye dress worn for a shoot by model Suraj Aku.

Lopez has also worked with artist Elna, best known for the handpainted skeleton designs she does for TieDiet’s pieces. While Lopez loves Chan because his manner of painting elevates the denim’s color and texture, they see in Elna’s designs the beauty in the contrast between fabric and bone. 

They’ve also managed to work with photographers Shaira Luna and BJ Pascual, who they only ever saw on their Instagram feed growing up. Imagine then Lopez’s surprise when they reached out to the two back in 2019 to shoot for a campaign for TieDiet, and to have Luna and Pascual say yes.

And then it was also by making connections with others that Lopez’s pants were worn by the Bretman Rock. Their friend, stylist Gee Jocson, bought the pants back in 2021, and then an intern bought them from her, and then that intern, later on, gifted them to Rock. 

Then bam! Rock was wearing them on his Instagram. What does this chain of events prove? That making connections is important, especially if you hope to make a name for yourself in whatever industry you’re in.

“It’s like this: once you get known for your designs, there’ll be stylists what’ll always get you, and even commission you to make a piece,” Lopez said.

For Lopez, it’s all about picking the right people, because there may be times wherein you don’t like the project or team offered to you. They said that if you’re an aspiring designer, you don’t always have to let people pull out your designs–only choose those that you resonate with. 

Don’t let the the negative get you down

Lopez has faced a lot of struggles during their time in the fashion industry. Sometimes these are people not appreciating their designs. They personally feel that their most underrated design is anything they post from their Headbed Baby brand, where they draw magical creatures inspired by fairies, butterflies, and the like.

“When I do shirts with other brands, it always gets sold out, but when I do it with my own brand, it doesn’t get sold out,” they lamented.

They also found it hard to finance their brand at first, given that they’re an artist first and a business owner second. Before, they didn’t care about the amount of money they would make or the visibility their brand had–which is something they’re trying to change at present.

Lopez also said that even when stylists do pull out their designs, it isn’t always guaranteed that these would be used, which saddens Lopez because often it feels like they’re in competition with other designers.

“They’ll pull out from other designers and then later you’ll get a notification, or see the editorial na your piece didn’t get used, where the stylist will just tell you: ‘Hey, sorry we couldn’t use your piece,’” they shared.

While this does hurt, they say that it’s alright because if it’s meant to be, their pieces will get out there eventually.

Get your name out there

For Lopez, one of the biggest ways to find success in the fashion industry is to put yourself out there, as well as to be yourself and have a vision of what you want to happen when you first start. 

“Have that intention, y’know, ‘cause when I started doing tie dye, I had the intention of putting it out there na celebrities will wear me, creatives will wear me, free spirits, artists, and people who wear color,” they shared.

“I put it out there, and I knew it’s gonna happen, you know? I just manifested it,” they added. 

Before you find success you need to first find consistency, as well as research the people that you want to wear your pieces, they further said. 

There’s no sugarcoating it: people aren’t going to just magically find your pieces, and you really do need to look for the people that you want to showcase your items, and then just go for it. As Lopez says, there’s no harm in trying. After all, the worst they can do is say no. 

And as someone who does witchcraft, tarot, and spells, Lopez also trusts heavily in the idea of alignment: how if it’s for you, and if you put the work in, it’ll all fall into place eventually.

“Sometimes you’re overwhelmed wanting it too much, but it’s all about letting go, trusting in yourself, and loving the process,” they said. 

And of course, it doesn’t hurt to add a little bit of magic–your own magic–into everything you do. For Lopez, that’s their secret sauce, because no one can replicate something if it’s authentically you.

Currently, TieDiet has several items posted on their page up for sale, and they also have their Rework promo, wherein you can send your clothes to Lopez to be upcycled for a small fee. 

They also plan to release more collaboration shirts with their other brand, Headbed Baby, in the future.