WORD FASH I ON TREND MICRO TREND STUDY
word f ashion t re nd
CON T EN T
01 LET YOUR CLOTHES SPEAK FOR YOU : THE WORD PRINT FASHION TREND
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HISTORY
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TEXT PRINTS WEARING YOUR MIND ON YOUR WARDROBE
03 THE RISE OF TEXT FASHION TREND
05 TEE-REFLIC SLOGANS ARE A LEGIT STREET STYLE TREND
06 ONLINE RESEARCH
07 FEELING WORDY
08 WHAT IS THE FUTURE?
T H E WO RD P RI N T FASH IO N T REND
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“L
et your clothes speak for you:
Fashion trends are numerous and versatile. For a certain season some of them might fade a little, ceding their place to other prevailing options, while for the seasons coming after they may regain their success and popularity. Thus the only constant thing about fashion is change. One of the most characteristic fashion trends of nowadays, coming as the word fashion trend. In fact, this is a unique way to put a statement about your personality and to take some creative turns on the interpretations of your everyday garments. There have been many variants of the word print fashion trend.
This is a very youthful and spectacular fashion trend inspired by the cool and relaxed drives and carrying the similarly expressed philosophy of the young. Such prints are very popular among the looks, found as a great diversity of options for the most specific choices. These designs are demonstrated with overlapping patterns, clearly legible text prints, at times being brand names as well, or just some key messages the brands want to convey. The examples are found in DKNY, Rebecca Minkoff, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Zoe Jordan, and Moschino Cheap & Chic.
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H I S TO RY When Maria Grazia Chiuri sent her ‘We should all be feminists’ T-shirt down the Dior catwalk in her very first collection for the French fashion house in October 2016, she reignited the flame for bringing politics into our everyday wear. Since then an entire feminist T-shirt movement can be seen, Trump-influenced memorabilia en masse, a pro-EU hoodie from Vetements and many, many more examples of politically motivated fashion, more often than not, in the form of the slogan T-shirt. Grazia Chiuri did not invent the slogan tee and this is not simply another Nineties throwback – these are pieces of clothing that have been allowing us to subtly send messages since as far back as the 1960s. The focus of The Fashion & Textile Museum’s latest exhibition - ‘T-Shirt: Cult Culture Subversion’ charts the T-shirt’s revolution via 200 archival pieces, hence proving how simple words on a garment can help bring about social and cultural change. It all began in the 1960s when a shop called Mr Freedom on the King’s Road in Chelsea sold Disney-inspired slogan tees. Vivienne Westwood took the trend a step further the next decade with politically motivated T-shirts, but it was in the 1980s that the slogan tee really came into its own with Katharine Hamnett’s infamous designs.
Henry Holland’s Slogan T-Shirts Slogans work on so many different levels, they’re almost subliminal. They are also a way of people aligning themselves to a cause and are tribal. Wearing one is like branding yourself.
Dior Spring/Summer 2017 & DKNY Autumn/Winter 2016
Grazia Chiuri showed her first collection for Dior in October 2016 with the ‘We should all be feminists’ white tee outshining the most beautiful of the tulle gowns. Vetements, DKNY and Alexander Wang have also been on the slogan-T-shirt bandwagon for the last few seasons.
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Hamnett’s T-shirts were about an ethical or a political message in 2006. The designer Katharine Hamnett has been making big, bold statements on T-shirts since the 1980s, including her famous 1984 photo opportunity with Margaret Thatcher in which she wore one announcing “58% don’t want Pershing”, her 2003 “Stop War, Blair Out” T and “Vote Tactically”, which was resurrected for last year’s general election. Her current collection largely focuses on Brexit, her trademark block capitals demanding a “Second Referendum Now” or just “Cancel Brexit” or “dont bThe latter shirt also bears a quote from Antonio Tajani, president of the European parliament, in smaller font: “If British voters changed their minds they would be welcomed back with open arms. Everyone would be for it.
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Vivienne Westwood has been one of the most prolific designers and wearers of slogan T-shirts since the 70s. In 2012, she launched her Climate Revolution campaign with an edgy, post-punk T-shirt. More recently, her t-shirts has slogans like “Support junior doctors” and “Save the Arctic”. One of her classics, “I AM NOT A TERRORIST. Please Don’t Arrest Me”, was created in collaboration with civil liberties group Liberty in 2005 to protest against the government’s proposed antiterror laws. The Hamnett and Westwood’s smart slogans are witty and provocative, and they have a point.
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“T
he rise of text fashion trend
Actions might speak louder than words, but not when it comes to the bold statement tops shown at both the spring and fall runways. For designers as diverse as Christopher Kane, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood, witty sayings became the ultimate graphic impact. Who needs flashy florals or polka dots when you’ve got the alphabet? With the text-heavy trend translating perfectly to casual wear, it’s no surprise half of Hollywood has been spotted in a slogan top this spring. Models Lily Aldridge and Alessandra Ambrosio both stepped out in simply printed sweatshirts, while Beyonce and Chloe Grace Moretz prove the look is a street-chic update for the standard jeans-and-atee fare. Whether you opt for a tank, tee or something warmer, the look is ridiculously easy to pull off and with affordable labels offering up an endless array of sayings in stores, there’s a style for every mood.
Chloe Grace Moretz
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• •
To make an explicit political (or other) statement. To follow fashion trends. To draw attention to yourself through your clothing.
Lily Aldridge
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Alessandra Ambrosio in an AIKO sweatshirt
Slogans and text are omnipresent. What could be the different motivations for wearing a slogan tee? There are three primary reasons we choose to wear a slogan tee:
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It does get what you want to say out into the world, or at least those you interact with, but there other ways to do this so wearing our concerns (or other) on our tees also says something else. No one is afraid to make a point in public and can handle the feedback or response. This is particularly true for political statements. A trend that is particularly apt right now—activism was alive and well throughout NYFW’s runways, heading straight out onto the street now. There may be certain slogans that individuals would be prepared to wear with their partner or peer group and less confident to wear when they’re on their own. There are complex individual differences that could account for this which include personality, mood and strength of belief in the meaning of the slogan.
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“W
earing your mind on your wardrobe
There’s been one major trend hitting the fashion scene this season, and that’s the slogan T-shirt. Everywhere you look, from the high street shops to street style fashionistas and bloggers alike, T-shirts have been emblazoned with attention grabbing statements. Some are funny because they are good jokes, some are funny because they are classics, and a large number are funny simply because someone would actually wear them. Everyone has been wearing their thoughts on their T-shirts. Slogan T-shirt not only look cool but they are also a sneaky way of expressing how we really feel.
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I N O N E WO RD
One of the most peculiar and curious ways of making this trend work. Namely, creating garments with just one word imprinted on it is one of the most creative and cool things that the designers like Sister by Sibling, Celine, Christopher Kane and many others opt for. The prints may be just reading “Happy’ or things like “Flower’, but the principle is conveying a certain message via the language of fashion.Going for word prints on boots is another creative thing observed in the Celine show.
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FAS H I O N LEM M A S
Designing the text prints in forms of lemmas and expressions is also a rather popular tendency observed. It’s a really a good way of expressing one’s personality and conveying a broader sense of something than the single word does. Some good examples can be found in the shows of Kenzo, Jeremy Scott, and Moschino, and in each case, a specific type and contents of prints could be seen, carrying a certain idea they want to convey. “Mars or Bust’ or “La classe non e acqua’ are some of the most popular and memorable options of this type.
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B E C RE AT IV E
Other forms of text prints are also diverse and numerous and some of them even go to the lengths of including puns and colloquialisms in their content. Thus the “censored’ variants by Alexander Wang, the word plays exercised by Undercover, and the critical contents by Jeremy Scott are some of the brightest examples of this trend.
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M AKE A S TAT EM EN T
Some designers even opt for the curious extended text prints. In this respect, J. C. Castelbajac, the pieces of which he demonstrated an entire shirt covered with texts, or the variants suggested by J. Crew, where one can find texts like “Oui mon cheri’ meaning “Yes, dear”, which actually do convey a certain type of message. The options observed during the shows of Jeremy Scott, Vivienne Westwood, and Dior also demonstrate some ways of implementing this.
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LO G O M A N IA
The last but not least type is the so-called logomania, in which logos of popular trademarks are fashion prints. Thus, one of the most frequently met logomania instances are the pieces by Donna Karan in DKNY lines, which do include huge proportions of those letters imprinted all over.
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“T
ee-Reflic slogans are a street style trend
The idea of wearing your mood gets a whole new twist when a slogan tee is thrown into the equation. Whether it’s a political opinion, stance on global topics, or love for quirky fictional characters, slogan tees have always (in street parlance) “nailed it!”. There is no secret science behind slogan tees but there are themes that do define this form of expression.
D IS T RES SED
LOV E T H Y S ELF If you are not already cued in on the whole frayed and torn look, you are potentially earning your spot as a damsel in distress (quite literally). Follow the distress trend and give your slogan tees an edgy appeal by picking pieces with frayed threads, cutouts and distressed finishes that scream hardcore style. Also, we love the undertone “street”appeal.
Selfies and distinct narcissism go a long way to make a statement. N o t i c e a b l e across millions of snaps and shares on social media, scores of individuals literally wear their heart on their sleeve with messages of “positive” thinking making a statement too hard to ignore. In the words of Biebs, just “go ahead and love yourself”.
B O LD S TAT EM EN TS
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M U LT I- LI NGO
Think big, think global. Designers are taking a global approach by including various cultural cues that have a mass appeal. This is defined by typography in different languages such as Russian, Mandarin and much more. Borderline babel tees seem unusual but definitely reflect one’s knack for exploring tender nuances across multiple languages.
Big, bold typography takes centre stage when you express your views – political, style or both. These tees cover every hot topic under the sun from economics to world peace and much much more. While certain topics can be inflammatory (read:burn), the best statement tees are those that are edgy and inclusive.
E CO - CO N S C IO US
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YO UR ST Y LE
For a casual timeout at a restaurant over the weekend, people who have a taste for all thingsstreet can wear a white T-shirt along with a pair of khaki trousers and sneakers.From Metallica to cryptic phrases, pick the one that speaks your mind or pair it with distressed jeans and a bomber jacket for a streetready look or go all out feminine and wear a slogan tee with a tulle skirt for a tee-refic look.
Saving the world in style is legit the best way forward! These tees are no longer restricted to bland statements by tree-hugger unions but carry persuasive text to protect our world. They are loud, captivating, and aimed at fostering a better environment for tomorrow. Just make sure your tees are actually sustainably made.
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The text print is not only famous in clothes but is also taking accessories by storm. Some of the super cool options for text prints on clothes and accessories are -
FOR LAZY DAYS This boyfriend t-shirt is perfect for those lazy days when you don’t want to get dressed up. Pair it with distressed denim and wedge trainers for a look that is effortlessly cool. Rs 1,663 Available on asos.com
LIFT YOUR CASUAL OUTFIT This cross body bag looks seriously ‘WOW’ when worn with a romper for a fun day-look. The tassel detail and pop of bright colours takes the outfit to another level.
Rs 2,585 Available on asos.com
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‘LOVE’ YOUR FEET These cute lace up flatform trainers add a bright pop of colour to your neutral look while making your outfit appear very interesting. For a Sunday brunch, maybe? Rs 2,301 Available on asos.com
EYE CANDY This pair of POW nunettes infuses a childish but fun vibe to any look. Wear it with a white tailored suit to tone down your otherwise formal look.
Rs 799 Available on asos.com
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BRAND WISE GRAPHIC TEE AND TEXT ONLY GRAPHIC T-SHIRT
178 141 84 79 59
TOTAL T-SHIRT OFFERING
757
GRAPHIC TEES OFFERING
114
TEXT/SLOGAN GRAPHICS
62
GRAPHIC TEE %
15
TEXT TEE %
54
268 27 15 10 55
Text/Message and Slogan graphics contribute to more than 50% of the Graphic tee offering among these High-street brands in India. Mango has the highest % of Graphics in its T-shirt range.
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ON LI N E RESEA RCH On looking at High-street brand portfolio for graphic tees in India, the option distribution draws key focus on graphics involving Text messaging and Font play, emphasizing on observations made in the earlier section of Indian celebrities and street stylists.
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2019
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“F
eeling Wordy
Words are a powerful tool that many designers chose to wield for the Spring/ Summer 2019 print trends, especially on their more casual designs. While in past fashion seasons slogans would get political, this year they were definitely more on the silly side of things. Designers emblazoned their creations with words and slogans. For the Spring 2019 trends, statements ranged from humorous to nonsensical, and seemed less political than previous years. The two standouts are the “when did they kill bambi” from Burberry, and Ashley William’s “Retired and loving it” – two cheeky statements that in context, are also nonsensical. At Nicopanda, the word “cow” emblazoned over a T-shirt paired with a cow-print skirt was simply self-referential. At Christopher Kane, slogans were all part of a retro T-shirt and sweatshirt theme that ran through the collection. At Dolce & Gabbana, two models walked the runway, matching with one in a suit and the other in a dress both covered in a black and white comic book print, with the word “glamour” showing up repeatedly. Matty Bovan’s spring collection was all about neon punk sensibilities, with the words emblazoned in black over the colorful clothing being hard to read. The typical logos were also on show, with clothes from brands like House of Holland and Pyer Moss loudly proclaimings their origins.
Burberry
Ashley Williams
Christopher Kane
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WH AT I S T H E F U T U RE? With Graphics getting influenced by almost every decade, nostalgia is one sentiment that most Brands are relying on. This gives way to text print tees, slogans etc. Text messages are also under the influence of the 80s and 90s. The next trend is a ‘must have’ today. As seen in Spring Summer 2017 runway shows – House of Holland, Hood by Air, Slogans are big for graphics.
An extension of Slogan tee is the ‘Message t-shirt’, which involves literally heartfelt messages and moods put down in letters on a cloth. Many of these can also be refereed to as the ‘Mood tee’ wherein the message describes the current mood of the wearer. Adding interest further, text graphics are designed with embroidered rice stitching, hand scribbled, constrained within a box etc, to enhance visual curiosity.
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A sense of carefree, free spiritedness also comes with the play of placement of graphics. Keeping in line with the laid-back, casual ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude this season, embroidered patches, text and appliques are seen randomly thrown around the canvas of a jersey. Gender neutral t-shirts, slightly oversized in nature make their presence providing the space for lengthy text prints.
Spliced graphics bring the DIY feel to it. Nowadays, more of quirky slogans are going on along with motivational texts. Doodles and self drawn characters are also catching up on tees. People are inclining towards creating their own phrases and slogans and getting them printed on the tees. Elle UK did an article early November‘16 quoting “People feel they have no voice, but they can wear it on a T-shirt and people can’t not read it.”The hashtags and captions have leapt from our smartphones and on to our clothes, with a ‘single-word Slogan’ enough to make an impact and voice opinion.
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CO N C LU SI O N We live in a mass communication information age where many people have a short attention span and an identity crisis. A printed tee is a quick, sure-fire way to communicate and express your identity, thus the come back of graphic tees in a matured version. Like a tattoo, the slogan T-shirt has become the celebrity’s as well as people’s weapon of choice in order to make a statement without saying a word. Clothing is a great way to make a statement and as we can wear practical outfits now and still look on trend, a tee with a slogan can be something that can make us stand out and also stand up for a cause at the same time.This will continue to see the young respond to events of sociopolitical significance, and this is captured through slogan and message t-shirt graphics. Truly the ‘democratization’ of fashion! Hence, this trend is going on and on nowadays.
word f a sh ion t re nd