Vintage & Retro Print Fabric

"Vintage" and "retro" get used almost interchangeably in everyday conversation, but they tend to describe two slightly different things. Vintage generally leans towards florals with a softer, more heritage feel, roses, sprigs, muted colourways that suggest an older era without being of it. Retro tends to be bolder and more graphic: 60s-inspired geometrics, psychedelic swirls, and novelty holiday prints that lean into a specific decade rather than a general sense of the past.

Because this collection is organised by era and mood rather than a single motif, you'll spot some crossover with our Floral and Geometric collections. That's intentional. A vintage rose print genuinely belongs in both places, and grouping it here as well makes it easier to shop for a particular decade or feeling rather than starting from the motif alone.

Types of vintage and retro fabric

Vintage florals bring a heritage feel through muted colourways and traditional rose or sprig motifs, well suited to dresses with a classic silhouette.

Retro geometrics and 60s prints are bolder and more graphic, often in warm, saturated tones, and pair well with simple, structured shapes that let the print carry the look.

Novelty retro prints, tropical and holiday-inspired designs among them, bring a lighter, more playful take on the same era without leaning fully into either florals or geometrics.

Choosing a vintage or retro print

If you're making something with a specific decade in mind, matching the print style to the silhouette makes a real difference: a fuller-skirted dress suits a vintage floral, while a shift dress or simple separates let a bold 60s geometric do the talking. Looking for a specific motif rather than an era? Browse our Floral & Leaf or Geometric & Abstract collections instead.