Not that we didn’t expect it but hypercolor is making its comeback into the fashion mainstream. Thanks to the uber-hipster flagship of American Apparel leading the way along with a few smaller designers. Though I don’t know who exactly it was that first started this whole thing over again, regardless, once again it will be obvious how hot you really are. For people who like to highlight their body areas that give off the most heat, hypercolors will create the perfect little two color palette of heat exhaustion.

History of Hypercolor

Hypercolor was originally popular in the U.S. in the 80’s and early 90’s. The ’secret’ is thermochromic pigment in the dye that was originally manufactured by Matsui Shikiso Chemical in Japan. Being temperature sensitive, hypercolor shirts were always getting messed up by those of us who forgot to wash it in cold water or just couldn’t bear to wear it wrinkled and would decide to straighten the fabric out with a little ironing, only to find out that the shirt now included a suspect iron shape design.

New Hypercolor

The companies who are bringing hypercolor back are American Apparel and the boutique fashion duo Anzevino & Florence, plus Puma with their chameleon shoe.

American Apparel’s offering includes four colors (Hyper Vermillion, Hyper Fast-Blue, Hyper Fast-Black, Hyper Green) in unisex t-shirts, that change from color to white.

AZFN selection offers multiple styles and shirts that change from color to color. A Tee, a tank, a dress and a scarf; available in green, grey, and purple.

See more photos of Puma’s color changing here.

The ’80s have officially come full circle. It was only a matter of time before the color-changing Hypercolor t-shirts you once loved were resurrected. This time, they’ve been reincarnated as a Puma shoe for sneaker connoisseurs.

The fabric of these sneakers is chemically treated to change color when exposed to various temperatures—like a mood ring for your feet. The colors shift from dark green to blue to deep purple and black.

Not only is its chameleon quality a throwback to earlier (and some might say, less fashionable) times but the design of the sneaker is also vintage classic. The “basket” style was originally introduced in 1971.

The only foreseeable problem is the color-changing makes it a difficult to wear if you are adamant about matching your kicks to your belt and bag.
- Stylelist.out.com

House of Holland’s ‘Stephanie and Alex’ line includes a color change tie dye print Tee and Tank.

A Hypercolor shirt from Emptee for the band Starship Cobras.

Read an article from the LA Times.