Pattern Surface Design: Y2K Happy Vibes Pop Print

Revisiting the early 2000s for my pattern design, Y2K Happy Vibes, was a thrilling exploration into a glittery bubblegum past. I was immediately reminded of babydoll t-shirts with big graphics, lots of pink lipgloss and the dawn of emojis. 

Prompted by the Spoonflower challenge to create a Y2K pop fashion pattern design for fabric, I came up with a series of decals that reminded me of the era. Starting with an expanding heart decal, it set the tone for the rest: a butterfly, a dragonfly and a daisy with an emoji-like happy face at the center. The symmetry and consistency of each decal was important in creating a cohesive design with the different decals. To finish off the design, I added abstract decals between the recognizable ones and then worked on narrowing down my color palette.

One of my favorite aspects of designing patterns is finding the perfect color combinations. In choosing the color palette, I combined contrasting colors of luscious pink and coral with icy blue and petal pink to capture some of the magic of the era. I tried out a few other palettes using mint green and lavender, but settled on this one as my favorite combination. 

When the fabric swatch of my Y2K Happy Vibes design arrived in the mail, I immediately felt happy looking at it and was glad the colors turned out exactly as I expected. The design repeats every nine inches making it a versatile size for fabrics whether for home decor or fashion. I see this as a print on a summer dress for Coachella or in a teen’s room on bedding, throw pillows or a wall hanging. Find this and my other originally illustrated pattern designs on my Spoonflower shop.