“If you want to get the message out there, you should print it in giant letters on a t-shirt”- Katharine Hamnett .
To her credit ,Hamnett made sure that she not only spoke of it, but executed it too. Her specialty- the slogan tees with a flocking design, have been worn to such tremendous levels by the likes of George Michael and Naomi Campbell amongst others, that now her name is synonymous with the trend.
George Michael in a ‘choose life’ tee
Katharine Hamnett tee
House of Holland
Thought provoking statements .Questions raised on current scenarios. A slogan tee is one outfit, that is favored by designers and the masses alike for giving a narrative to current socio- political events or just for personal expressions.It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this trend is never completely off the charts. However,Katharine Hamnett is not the only designer known to have ventured into this territory: Vivienne Westwood , made bold statements with her versions in the 1970’s, as have Henry Holland’s fun tees on the runway.
Yasmin Sewell in Gucci
While slogan tees remained a mainstay in the street style circles, in recent times, the politically charged environment has seen to an immense comeback by this trend. Activists and artists are all taking to the dynamic t-shirt that speaks for them. Case in point: The Women’s March in Washington D.C and around the globe saw citizens of all age groups rallying for a cause. It was only too natural for their concerns and voices to come out in artistic forms, some of which translated into self-motivated slogans.
Jennifer Lawrence in Dior
Rihanna in Dior
If the street style enthusiasts are putting the trend ‘out there’, designers are not far behind. For her Dior debut, Maria Grazia Chiuri sent out a model wearing “we should all be feminists” slogan t-shirt. An outfit that outshone a variety of intricate clothing and garnered applause from veterans.
Slogans seen during the Women’s March
Prabal Gurung AW 17
Finding his fashion inspiration in the charged atmosphere of Women’s March, Prabal Gurung had an array of fiercely striking slogan tees sent on the runway for his A/W 17 presentation. With slogans that said it all, the styles have already become the most coveted pieces of clothing for the season.
As retailers and artists embrace the season’s latest trend, the psychology of longing is not entirely unexpected; after all, who wouldn’t want to flaunt a smart, sassy phrase as a fashion statement? We know we would.
What would be your slogan? Let Us Know.
Featured Image Source- Harper’s bazaar US
