slogan t-shirts
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Sample chapter from Slogan T-ShirtsTRANSCRIPT
Stephanie Talbot
Slogan T-ShirTSCulT and CulTure
informative, illuminating, insightful and erudite, Slogan T-Shirts: Cult and Culture is completely unique. Featuring interviews with a wealth of cultural commentators, creative luminaries and credible fashion insiders, from holly Johnson (of Frankie goes to hollywood) to Katharine hamnett, it offers a multi-faceted approach as to the question of what makes the slogan T-shirt so rich, layered and culturally relevant... because slogans are never simply just words; they are emotive and evocative, suggestive and provocative.
Slogan T-Shirts: Cult and Culture explores the vast spectrum of slogan use on T-shirts; its function as a message delivery system; its expression as an artefact of language; and its role as an emblem of political, social, cultural, recreational and sartorial trends. The book unfurls as a cultural library of perspectives, nuanced positions and eclectic sources and each interview offers a cultural snapshot within the versatile framework of slogan T-shirt culture. The book also glances into the inner worlds, inside stories and mechanisms of those involved in fashion, design and the production of media.
Freelance writer, stylist and creative consultant, Stephanie Talbot has studied visual theory, screen theory and architecture at post-graduate and doctoral level. She also muses about life not far from her doorstep in East London - where she lives with her beloved dog – on her acclaimed blog, www.thehouseofneonweather.com.
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90100
9 781408 157541
ISBN 978-1-4081-5754-1
Beautifully designed, visually
seductive and packed with influential innovators
from the last three decades, every page of
this book is a source of inspiration.
DESIGNERSPart Two
KATHARINE HAMNETT
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VEXED GENERATION
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114 114 S L O G A N T - S H I R T S | Part two: Designers
The year that fashion provocateur Katharine
Hamnett was awarded Designer of the Year
by the British Fashion Council was the same
year that she captivated a worldwide audience
with her encounter with then British prime
minister Margaret Thatcher at a reception at
Number 10 Downing Street (headquarters and
official residence of Britain’s prime minister).
As Hamnett removed her coat, apparently
only moments prior to meeting Thatcher,
she revealed an oversized T-shirt declaring in
outsized block lettering ‘58% DON’T WANT
PERSHING’. Furthermore, not only did the size
of the type confront, but Hamnett reinforced
the public’s opposition to Thatcher’s purchase
of US missiles by also printing the statistic on
the T-shirt’s back. Unnerved and unamused
Thatcher was quick to ignore Hamnett’s affront.
Hamnett’s coup de grâce was even more
remarkable given the fact that political action
was initiated in a political setting that was not
only a social occasion but a soirée to celebrate
British Fashion Week, which made Hamnett’s
politicised gesture even more threatening and
thus even more valiant. The year was 1984. It
was the most syndicated image of that year
and continues to be a benchmark of how an
Katharine Hamnett
‘There’s a lot of textual art
that says a lot less interesting
things than ‘JAIL TONY’ or
‘NO MORE FASHION VICTIMS’.
To paraphrase Duchamp:
“I am an artist so if I say it’s art,
it’s art”. They are art.’
www.katharinehamnett.com
ethical and political position can be effectively
partnered with fashion.
Hamnett’s sartorial vigour has been
consistent ever since; nineteen years later, in
2003, Hamnett’s London catwalk collection
saw models wearing T-shirts emblazoned with
‘NO WAR, BLAIR OUT’ and ‘STOP WAR E-MAIL
YOUR MP’, a reference to the invasion of Iraq.
Hamnett explains her unremitting commitment
to the slogan T-shirt: ‘Slogan T-shirts are a
vehicle to print and are effective for things that
need to be said or that we need to be reminded
of in three words or four. Initially, I wanted to
design something that would make me happy
if it was copied because my designs were
getting copied a lot and it was very irritating. I
thought it would be amusing, if not delightful, if
T-shirts with giant political and environmental
messages on them, about the issues that I cared
deeply about, became all the rage.’
Hamnett studied fashion at London’s
Central Saint Martins. Prior to launching her
eponymous label in 1979, she spent a decade
freelancing for various European companies.
Soon after setting up her own label she
began experimenting with slogan T-shirts:
‘WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW’ and
‘SAVE THE WORLD’ being amongst the first.
Concurrent to her devotion to sustainable
clothing and the urgency of the world’s
injustices, Hamnett has instigated fashion
styles and trends that have shaped the relative
zeitgeists.
Throughout her career Hamnett has
adhered to ethical practices. Her use of
organic cotton demonstrates how it needn’t
compromise the glamour of the garment,
whilst her campaigns skillfully raise awareness
of the virtues of organic cotton, such as
healthier working conditions for the farmers
and factory workers, and improved resources
for the population. Using the slogan T-shirt
as a device to disseminate message delivery,
Hamnett has also adeptly used the media to
draw attention to a range of social, political
and environmental concerns: ‘Slogan T-shirts
give protest credibility. They were designed to
sophisticate protests, to put its issues on the
same perceived level as a newspaper headline.
They are designed to be seminal; to make
people think and hopefully act, because when
‘58% Don't Want Pershing’ (1984)
‘Me/You’ (1984)
‘Stop Killing Whales’ (1983) ‘Education Not Missiles’ (1983) ‘Save Africa Make Trade Fair’ (2003)
‘Stay Alive In 85’ (1985)
First published in Great Britain 2013Bloomsbury Publishing Plc50 Bedford Square London WC1B 3DPwww.bloomsbury.com
ISBN: 9781408157541
Copyright © Stephanie Talbot 2013
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Stephanie Talbot has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.
Publisher: Susan KellyDesign: Evelin KasikovPhotographer (unless otherwise stated): Richard Reyes Managing editor: Davida SaundersCopy editor: Judy TitherProofreader: Julie Brooke
Typeset in 9 on 12.5 pt Bliss Light
This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.
Printed and bound in China
Where garments are uncredited they are from the author’s own collection. The author has made every effort to contact copyright holders as appropriate. In the event that these attempts have been unsuccessful, please contact the publishers who will be happy to correct any errors or omissions on reprinting.
Frontispiece and inside back cover t-shirts author’s own • Model: E-Sinn Soong
This book is dedicated to Sam Bully.
First and foremost this book has been a team effort. Sincere thanks to
every single person who has made a contribution.
I would like to thank Susan Kelly who commissioned the book and has
been a source of much appreciated encouragement - honestly, I cannot
thank you enough Susan. Also, thank you to my editor Davida Forbes who
has been nothing less than terrific!
A zillion personal thanks to Richard Reyes for being such a dream
photographer to work with – everyone commented how you put them
at ease and what a delight it was to work with you. May I also take
this opportunity to say what a valued friend you are.
A huge thanks to Evelin Kasikov whose design prowess has brought this
book alive.
Thank you also to all my creative soulmates – your unrelenting support
has been astonishing: Alex Papadakis, Emma Day, E-Sinn Soong, Fiona
Cartledge, Ian Stallard, Kevin Chow, Liz Thompson, Patrik Fredrikson,
Reem Charif, Scott Maddux, Silvia Ricci, Victoria Ophield, Yvonne
Courtney, Zach Pulman and Annick Talbot.
Both Julian Vogel and Kenneth Mackenzie have been so damn brilliant
throughout – your generosity has been overwhelming (thank you!).
Last but by no means least, I am deeply grateful to all the following:
Albert Kang, Amy Thompson, Eric Rose, Gosia Cyganowska, Greg Davis,
Heather Holden-Brown, John Dawson, Kate Monckton, Lindsay Freeman,
Mark Moore, Martin Bull, Odilo Weiss, Sebastian Boyle, Tyen Masten and
Yu Ling Huang.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all those who kindly supplied T-shirts for our centrepiece
spread ‘The Gendered, The Technological, The Questionable and The
Marvellous ‘n’ Miscellaneous’.
Amy and Claire at Truffle Shuffle • www.truffleshuffle.co.uk
Bethan Wood • www.woodlondon.co.uk
Carol at Force 18 T-shirts • www.force18.co.uk
Charli at the National AIDS Trust • www.nat.org.uk
Christian at Anonymous • www.designers-anonymous.com
Daniel at Red Mutha • www.redmutha.com
Eike at Spreadshirt • www.spreadshirt.co.uk
Emily at Respect For Animals • www.respectforanimals.co.uk
Heather and Jane at MoreTvicar • www.moretvicar.com
Ian and Patrik at FredriksonStallard • www.fredriksonstallard.com
Jerry at Lazy Oaf • www.lazyoaf.com
Jon at Magma Books; • www.magmabooks.com
Kevin at Spamshirt • www.spamshirt.com
Lavinia at T-Shirt Town • www.tshirt-town.com
Mark at Mash Creative • www.thisisourshop.com, www.mashcreative.co.uk
Richard and Jo at 8 ball • www.8ball.co.uk
Robin at A-non Brand • www.a-non.co.uk
Extra thanks to Matt Snow