Built To Last

We went to see Dead & Company last Thursday at Citifield. It was awesome—the highlight for me was probably Scarlet Begonias into Fire on the Mountain that opened up the second set. But, like any Dead show, it’s about more than just the music.

Part of what I love about dead shows is the experience of instantly entering a culture where anything goes and everybody’s nice. I love the style and the ethos. Deadheads go all out to prove they reject the system, love the earth, and wear the hell out of tie-dyes.

I have been a fan since I was 14 years old and a freshman in high school. Over that time, my relationship with tie-dyes has evolved quite a bit. I think of tie-dye as a uniquely American, classic, timeless pattern. Last Spring I worked with the Natural Dyer, Adriana of Moonshadow Goods, to create a line of bespoke tie-dyed poufs. Moonshadow Goods uses dyestuffs such as walnut, cochineal, and marigolds. I sourced a 100% organic hemp and cotton material as our base.

We chose a palette that was soft, modern, and chic. I love the tones of indigo next to the marigold pouf. The berry color is cochineal made from cochineal beetles. The interior filling is upcycled deastock foam. The poufs are one of my most sustainable pieces of work so far. There are three left for sale here on my website!

They’re saying this is the last tour for Dead and Company, but I don’t believe it. They’ll be back in some other incarnation. The Dead were built to last.