Why was this shirt guaranteed to bleed?How a fabric's defects became its best feature.
From the show
Style and StatusDiscover the unlikely journey of Madras plaid, a humble Indian cotton that became a preppy American status symbol. We trace its path from the fields of Chennai to the closets of Ivy Leaguers, showing how its meaning was completely reinvented across cultures. This story reveals how a brilliant marketing campaign transformed a fabric's flaw—its tendency for colors to run—into a sign of authenticity and affluence, cementing its place in fashion history.
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