Forget hippies and horse camp– hopefully it’s Shabd Simon-Alexander’s eponymous line of hand-dyed wares you think of when someone utters "tie-dye.". Simon-Alexander has been on a quiet crusade to change tie-dye’s reputation with her creative dye jobs (carried out by the designer herself). From tights and leggings to leotards and shapely dresses, Shabd’s Fall 2011 collection colors are “earth, wind, fire, water and void," a slightly darker palette than collections past. Simon-Alexander found herself inspired by wandering around NYC’s MOMA and by printouts of art by Andrew Wyeth, Rothko and Monet.

Collection standouts include the Shoreline Dress – a wear-in-a-million-ways-piece – and tights in each of the color schemes. While Shabd’s clothes should be enough to convince any tie-dye naysayers otherwise, the fact that the designer taught Martha Stewart – the lifestyle master herself – how to tie-dye should help increase the craft’s clout.