When fashion designer Henry Holland of House of Holland sent his collection of oversized slogan T-shirts down the catwalk in 2007 they were soon everywhere on the highstreet. You’ll remember the ones that I mean, garish and all kinds of neon colours with kooky models such as Agyness Deyn strutting their stuff.
However, Holland was not the first to make a statement with a T-shirt.
Katherine Hamnett – slogan-T-shirt designer – was appointed CBE in 2010 for her dedication to ‘fashion with a conscience’. Her statement slogans became a staple of 1980s fashion, capturing the imagination of a disillusioned generation. Hoping to stir the political establishment of the time, T-shirts read “education not missiles”, “leaders suck” and the very famous “choose life”.
Slogan T-shirts reappeared on our highstreets, possibly due to Holland, more possibly due to the circles fashion travels in; everything makes a comeback. I bought one from Primark, it was extremely large and read “Make Love Not War” – how original. Anyway, the trend was not for me and the T-shirt became a nightie, soon to disappear completely from my wardrobe – as quickly as the neon, slogan trend disappeared from fashion cool.
While searching fashion blogs for slogan T-shirts in 2011, I came across LA brand Wildfox Couture. Celebrity fans include Cheryl Cole, Vanessa Hudgens and Nicola Roberts; I’m just not sure I’m on board. To me they look a little… Juicy Couture.
Their predictable slogans such as “I love Paris” and “Forever Wild” don’t cut the mustard in the same way that Diesel’s 2010 ‘Be Stupid’ did – in my opinion, anyway (see www.diesel.com/be-stupid for their ‘philosophy’).
I bought one of their T-shirts from the campaign last year, the slogan reads “smart listens to the head, stupid listens to the heart”. I liked it because I felt I could relate to it, and while that may sound “stupid” I think that’s what is necessary when purchasing a slogan T-shirt.
Hence the conception behind ‘i love boxie’.
I’m also unsure as to whether it is cool or acceptable to wear your political affiliations across your chest such as the American Apparel ‘Legalize Gay’ T-shirts that are available to buy on their website. Plus there are better ways to help ‘change the world’. A T-shirt should be fun and more importantly… look pretty!
this is awfully written.