The Making of the Chromat Wet Print by Dana Scruggs
We collaborated with artist Dana Scruggs to create our Spring 19 Saturation Wet Print.
Shaderska wears the Uma Suit in Wet Print
Mikayla shot by Dana Scruggs
Wet T Shirts
We are interested in re-claiming the Wet T Shirt beyond the hetero male gaze. For the SS19 Saturation Collection, we investigated the vulnerability inherent in wearing a giant T shirt over your swim, when you're too uncomfortable to wear a bathing suit in public.
Elsie Fisher at a pool party in the movie Eighth Grade
Mikayla shot by Dana Scruggs
We have worked with Dana Scruggs several times- first for our 2018 Holidaze campaign, then she shot Nyadhour Deng in Chromat in the desert. We love her high contrast, high art style and knew she would be the perfect photographer to collaborate with for our signature wet print.
Dana shot the saturated textures on non binary model Yanece Cotto and dancer Mikayla Scaife, both models we met at our Chromat Fit Tests.
Photo of Yanece (left) and Mikayla (right) by Dana Scruggs
Mikayla shot by Dana Scruggs
Behind the Scenes
It was a sunny and bright Sunday afternoon in July, and we set up on the roof of the Chromat studio with views of Manhattan in the background.
On Set with Dana Scruggs and models Yanece Cotto and Mikayla Scaife. BTS photos by Becca McCharen-Tran
Custom Fabric Printing
Once we finalized the selection and photo editing with Dana, we formatted the image textures into digital prints forsublimation fabric printing. Chromat CEO Becca McCharen-Tran flew to our factory in Sofia, Bulgaria to test different color balances with the fabric printing. It's the kind of thing you can't finalize via photos, and with NYFW approaching rapidly, it was important to make the trek.
Reviewing print tests at our Sofia factory.
Matching the color balance to coordinate with our Resort 19 Paint Print.
Wet T Shirts on T Shirts
We then developed a line of sublimation printed T shirts. Dye sublimation printing is a full color, full-coverage printing technique. Dana's photo texture was printed onto a sheet of high-release paper and transferred onto the fabric using heat and pressure. The dye particles convert into gas -- known as sublimation -- where they bond to the polyester fibers of the shirt. Unlike screen printing, the dye is absorbed by the fabric for an amazing, soft-to-the-hand feel.
Samirah wears the Venus T
Veronica wears the Wet T
The SS19 Saturation Runway Show
The Wet Print swimsuits and T shirts walked the runway at our September 2018 runway show.
See the video of the runway show and read the show notes here.
The SS19 Runway Show Finale let by Leyna Bloom shot by Serichai
To tell the story of the Wet T Shirt inspiration behind our new print, we doused the models in water to achieve the dripping, saturated look on the runway. Becca and Ben soaking L'ka backstage in a kiddie pool.
Sonny in the Sample Size Shirt, Jazzmine in the Wet Print coverup, Veronica Pomee in the Wet Print T shirt backstage after the show.
Full Circle in Refinery 29
It all came full circle with the new shoot by Dana Scruggs for the Refinery 29 feature "Beyond Bundles: Black Women Are Using Wigs To Set Their Own Beauty Standards". The shoot featured wigs by Porscha Weeks and model Ashley Karah wearing the Wet Print dress!
Ashley wears the Chromat x Dana Scruggs Wet Print Dress shot by Dana Scruggs
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