Imagup General Magazine 2024
Although most people think that embroidered patches were created in the last few decades, they were actually first created in China somewhere between the 5th and 3rd century BC. The Chinese people used different sewing methods to patch, tailor, and fix clothes which led them to create a decorative design on the clothes. Over the years, other countries and civilizations began using these techniques for sewing designs and patterns into tapestries, clothing, and cloths. If you are interested in how sewing machines works, check out TheSewingFlow.com.
Sometimes the clothes were quite small, hence, they slowly became patches. In this article, you will be able to learn about the history of embroidered patches over the last few decades, as well as how their design changed over the years. Let’s take a closer look:
Embroidered Patches – The Seventies
As you already know, the hippie communities worldwide did not focus on the mainstream but rather on working against the current events happening around them. Although it was unintentional, their movement became so much more than morals, it also became a fashion staple. They got rid of tailored suits and exchanged them by keeping things flowy and natural with their long dresses, torn jeans, and wearing their hair as it is. If you’re interested in reviving the essence of this iconic era, consider exploring the book Digitizing Made Easy, which offers insights into creating vintage-inspired embroidery designs.
Hippie wore military attire in protest of wars, they choose to shop at thrift shops, and they completed their looks and outfits with the decorative embroidered patches. Embroidered, funny or sarcastic, these patches were tools for marketing their movement and style.
Embroidered Patches – The Eighties
In the early ‘80s, the entire world was taken over by something called the punk movement. People were done using hippie symbols such as love and peace to try and solve the problems in our world and they opted for something entirely different – spikes, anarchy, and anger. Instead of sewing on patches that were shaped in the signs of flowers, hearts, and peace symbols, people started wearing patches as a representation of their favorite mottos and punk bands on the backs of their jackets, shoulders, and sleeves.
The patches that were worn during the punk era did have a different look, however, they still had the same purpose and were used in the same way as the hippies used them – to show off their movements and opinions.
Embroidered Patches – Modern Day
As previously mentioned, patches were usually used as tools in protesting against several wars and social causes, and in return, they brought more attention to people’s personal fashion. However, nowadays, people do not only wear them for special causes or protests, but they can be found on runways, on clothes from popular brands like Gucci and Dior, and you can see them adorning leather or denim jackets.
People are now wearing embroidered patches as fashion statements and they use them for decorating their accessories, clothes, even phone cases. If you want to see how you can get customized patches, click on this link.
Conclusion
Today, embroidered patches have an entirely different look, however, they still have the same role in the fashion industry as they did hundreds of years ago – they act as fashion tools that people can use to show off their personal opinions, identities, and movements.
