Color-Changing Dress Goes From White to Pink in the Sun

Woman’s Photochromic Dress Changes Color in the Sun From White to Pink

By Regina Sienra on July 19, 2023

screenshots of video showing a photochromic dress changing from white to pink

Photo: Screenshot from TikTok

A color-changing dress is something that sounds like it's straight out of a fairytale…or an illusion that has the whole internet polarized. But sometimes it's also a very real dress that actually does change color. In a now-viral video posted by @izzipoopi, the fashion influencer wears a cream knit dress at the beginning, announcing, “My dress changes colour in the sun!” She then walks outside, and as she steps out of the shadows, the garment begins its colorful transformation. By the end, the dress has completely turned pink, much to the wearer's delight.

The dress in question was created by New York-based fashion brand PH5. The name of the dress is Sponde UV Reactive Reversible Maxi Dress and it's part of the brand's UV Reactive collection, which also includes color-changing skirts, shirts, and cardigans. PH5 states, “Using our innovative yarns we knit pleated & ribbed pieces that will transform in to bright pink's & blue's in the sun.”

For some users, this color-changing clothing reminds them of Hypercolor, a fashion company that was trendy in the 90s. Although those garments transformed in a similar manner, they changed due to heat, while the PH5 dress changes with UV light. Though there isn't much info about the tech, it was most likely developed in the company's knitwear mill in China. “We work hand in hand with our computer engineers and technicians to code and pattern each design,” PH5 explains. “Thanks to this advantage, we are able to be TRULY experimental and innovative. Whether it be a new stitch, a new yarn, or a new treatment, our goal is to always offer something our customers have never seen before.”

While PH5's UV Reactive collection is limited to a few models and tones for now, the creative possibilities of color-changing yarn or cloth could be endless. From a self-dying wedding dress to a white-turning shirt to keep its wearer cool, we could be in front of the next big innovation in the fashion world.