Before Twitter, slogan T-shirts were the preferred medium for telling others to “Choose Life”, “That’s Hot” and “I’m with stupid”. They continue to make noise in the age of social media, with the trend’s revival now requiring more meaningful calls to action on cotton.
Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson is asking you to “drink your milk” to fight shame in the LGBTQ community, Camilla and Marc’s latest T-shirt highlights “Ovaries. Talk About Them” as part of the brand’s campaign for an early detection test for ovarian cancer, while Melbourne designer Erik Yvon wants you to be “Reborn” for the environment and homelessness.
T-shirts without a cause. Victoria Beckham’s “My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce” T-shirt; Zendaya’s “I Told Ya” top from Loewe and Kim Kardashian’s vintage “I Love Nerds” T-shirts were not for charitable causes.Credit: Instagram, Getty
Raising money and awareness for charities and scientific causes is the latest spin on the fashion cycle. Zendaya silently says, “I Told Ya”, Kim Kardashian’s vintage top suspiciously proclaims “I Love Nerds” and Victoria Beckham made the public service announcement “My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce.”
Replacing luxury logos with pointers to popular causes has drawn accusations of virtue signalling but wearing slogan T-shirts can be about doing good while looking better.
When T-shirts are not virtue signalling
“Slogans on T-shirts are helpful,” says Dr Robyn Gulliver, a researcher in social change at the University of Queensland. “Showing that you care about something can help change social norms, which in turn might help make it more acceptable to communicate about the issue. T-shirt slogans can also help boost recognition of groups, places such as the Great Barrier Reef and issues like climate change.”
“The downside is that short slogans are usually pretty vague. It does help if there is a clear message, particularly if it links to a concrete, doable action.”
Marc Freeman and Camilla Freeman-Topper understand the importance of authenticity with fashionable fundraising T-shirts. More than 30 years ago, their mother died from ovarian cancer. The fifth collection of “Ovaries. Talk About Them” T-shirts and sweaters from their label Camilla and Marc has just been released, with the support of celebrities such as Naomi Watts and Dree Hemingway.
“It would almost be irresponsible to not use our platform to try and make a change,” says Freeman-Topper, who was 11 when her mother Pamela died.
“Marc and I are pretty private people, so I was terrified when we decided to put something so personal out there. It took a lot of courage, but we had a platform to make a difference with a real, authentic story that was pretty heartbreaking.”
Naomi Watts in the latest “Ovaries. Talk About Them” T-shirt from Camilla and Marc; “Reborn” clothing by Erik Yvon at the Melbourne Fashion Festival supporting homeless support initiative HoMie; the Loewe “drink your milk” T-shirt.
Camilla and Marc has raised $1.7 million to assist Professor Caroline Ford, Dr Kristina Warton and the team at the University of New South Wales Gynaecological Cancer Research Group in creating an early detection test, with all proceeds from the capsule collection supporting the cause.
“With the T-shirts we approach the design process with respect to the cause,” Freeman-Topper says. “It’s something that our stylish community will be proud to wear and represent.”
“We added red to the range because it’s hugely popular right now. [It] lets us be on trend and create a bold and meaningful impactful statement.”
Helping the homeless
HoMie, a streetwear label helping people who live rough in Melbourne, has built a brand on customers offering support through style choices.
“At HoMie we believe that fashion can, and should be, a force for good,” says HoMie chief executive Stephanie Say. “It’s part of our DNA as a social enterprise. Anytime someone buys our streetwear, the profits of that sale go towards our mission to support young people affected by homelessness or hardship, whether it’s a slogan top, a hoodie or a fair of sweatpants; every item is making an impact.”
Since launching in 2015, HoMie has assisted more than 3200 young people through its retail-focused training program, with 90 per cent of those graduates remaining employed or pursuing further education.
“Wearing a slogan top, like our recent “Housing for All” T-shirt collab with [activist] Purple Pingers during Homelessness Week, empowers people to wear their values and engage in another form of activism. It can spark meaningful conversations and challenge thinking.”
Thirsty work
While the sold out “Housing For All” T-shirt is to the point, Loewe’s designer Jonathan Anderson’s collaboration with Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey has a subtle and sexy approach.
The $345 “drink your milk” T-shirt from Loewe, which has sold out twice since launching in June, signals gay pride with a line borrowed from a steamy scene Bailey shared with actor Matt Bomer in the television series Fellow Travellers. With other Loewe T-shirts starting at $725, “drink your milk” has reportedly sold particularly well in Australia.
“How can I raise money without asking people to actually donate and sponsor, [but rather] to invite people to experience art and beautiful, inspiring, naughty, and exciting collaborations?,” Bailey, who founded The Shameless Fund, told US Vogue.
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