In Threads #173, Patricia Robison explains how to best use the striking colors of ombré fabric.

Search for ombré online, and you’ll find many images showing it on hair and fingernails, rugs and cakes, dining room walls, and even architecture. Even DIY YouTube videos explain how to surround yourself with ombré adornment.

Ombré is a French word that means “shaded.” It is sometimes referred to as dip-dyeing, color-bleeding, or gradated dyeing. Achieving beautiful gradient results with dyeing is not easy, so I recommend exploring the gorgeous and commercially available ombré textiles. I’ll show you how to find and use this exciting, though challenging, fabric.

Ombré fabric first appeared in the 1800s, and it has remained a constant, with varying levels of popularity and trend appropriateness. It’s a hit on the runways now and, whether you use it in your wardrobe or in home decorating, it freshens and defines a look.