TEE SHIRT
REVOLUTION
By Wheeler Juell
OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO E VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE
OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO EVE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE VE
TEE SHIRT
REVOLUTION
A Story...
About the dream of a clothing company that expels an image of an enlightened society. One that runs on love, happiness, equality, and acceptance; rather than greed, sex, drugs, and self depreciation. And also one that makes decently environmentally conscious decisions about production. A clothing company that does not alienate anyone, and stands up for our planet and everyone on it.
as crea tives
we create what the world sees. This gives us a great amount of power over society. We have the ability to influence how people think, how they act, even how they behave. I believe with my whole heart that we need to use this power for good; for the betterment of humankind and for the betterment of our society. This is why it deeply saddens me when I see design that is promoting the very things that are debilitating to our society. When I see drugs, sex, greed, violence, exploited to sell a product, especially clothing. The T-shirt has been a staple in the developed world’s wardrobe for decades, especially for our youth. It’s something we see and are surrounded by every single day. I know when I was younger, the clothing industry had a tremendous influence on me. That’s why I’m standing here in front of you today with the dream of one day being a major player in the game. So when I see clothing with terrible imagery and negative messaging, clothing that is just plain pointless and offensive and of benefit to nobody, I can’t help but to want to completely change and improve it. I want to make t-shirts that have encouraging messages of love and happiness and positive imagery. T-shirts that make you and those around you feel good. Feel good about life, the world, and most importantly yourself! Clothing that disintegrates the ideas of judgment, alienation, and a lifestyle of excess, and instead promote a lifestyle of compassion, caring and kindness. And I firmly believe that by saturating the clothing industry with these kinds of t-shirts, not only will change come to the industry itself, but to society as a whole.
JUXTA POSIT ION jux•ta•po•si•tion an act or instance of placing side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.
On the next several pages you will see a series of images. On the lefthand side are images of the problem. Images of clothing promoting sexism, violence, drugs and hate. And on the right-hand side are examples of the antidote to this disease. Images of clothing that is promoting love, positivity, kindness and happiness.
SEE WHAT I MEAN
JUDGE
LOVE
LEAR
T O N
Lies And Filth LIES AND FILTH is the brain child of J.KaAmani. We are offensive, and could care less about who doesn’t like it. Society has become overly sensitive , which is draining people’s creativity. People suppress their true feelings towards things so they can be accepted in society. Well Lies And Filth is 100% on the opposite end of the spectrum, we are not in the least bit concerned if someone is offended, as long as we stay true to ourselves. Are you part of the Filthy Nation or are you just another sheep being led to slaughter?
Life Is Good SPREADING THE POWER OF OPTIMISM
These are repulsive Images like these really bring my mood down and have a negative effect on my day We don’t need to be reminded of the negative things in life I don’t know anybody who would wear these Blatantly in your face and offensive These are not friendly at all Degrading to women and male dominated Pushing the negative stereotypes Why? It seems like these people are making t-shirts and not thinking about effects There is no passion in these shirts Makes me feel like society just doesn’t care These are really bad The sexist ones make me feel deflated I can’t believe people like this Disappointing The human race still has not evolved beyond this imagery I wish I didn’t have to see this I sure wouldn’t wear it
I like these, they make me feel good I’m really inspired by the nature images Energy is how change happens in the world, and positive imagery on clothing is a good start When I look at these they make me feel really happy Positive and happy is a good thing Full of passion Spread the happiness, it’s contagious This is what our world needs now Uplifting Spreads a good message I love the happy shirt Wonderful This is a good way to dress and feel The world can always use more love I think that through this book, you are giving people a voice. I’m sure there are a lot of people who feel the same way but aren’t going to say or do anything about it. So it’s nice to see that someone is passionate about things like this that really do influence our world.
URBAN OUTFITTERS controversial t-shirts
For me, N a landscape hardly exists at all as a landscape,
because its appearance is changing in
every moment v v but it lives through its ambiance, through the air an� t�e light, which vary consistently.
-Claude Monet
- Confucius
be grateful
be thankful
INSPIRATIONS & ROLE MODELS
These select companies are of great influence to me and what I want my brand to be. Some have influenced me since I started caring about style, and some are new acquaintances I’ve made along the journey of this project. Whatever the case, they all give me something to look up to, whether it be wicked graphics or keeping all production in the States.
IMAGINARY FOUNDATION
The Imaginary Foundation is a think tank from Switzerland that does experimental research on new ways of thinking and the power of the imagination. They hold dear a belief in human potential and seek progress in all directions. The small clandestine team is headed up by the mysterious “Director,” a 70-something über-intellectual whose father founded the Dadaist movement. Avoiding direct publicity, the team has sought clothing as an unlikely vehicle for bringing their ideas beyond the academic realm and into popular culture. In his vision for the Imaginary Foundation, the Director knew that the human mind has more than one mode, that indeed it has an “ecology” of being. He knew that imagination, intuition, inspiration are basic to psyche... A philosophy of research began to form: imagination as fundamental to all learning; artistic making as a model of integrating vision, materials, structure, and imagery.
This is my favorite clothing company of all time. They don’t produce clothing, they produce wearable art. Their clothing is unique; there is absolutely nothing else like it on the market. I love the psychedelic full-print imagery, exploding with color, emotion, and pure thought. This full-bleed dye sublimation printing process is definitely something I want to incorporate into my company. It helps to break the boundary between clothing and art, turning the entire shirt into a canvas.
“What makes true vision is the poetry of life and the richness of nature”
RVCA
RVCA is the brainchild of company Founder and President, PM Tenore. Transcending the boundaries of traditional action sports apparel, RVCA is a design-driven lifestyle brand free from passing trends. Appearing as a natural on the shelves of boutiques as on those of a local skate shop, RVCA is brought together by a group of like-minded individuals from various subcultures, a collaboration of sorts, a lifestyle within itself. PM Tenore’s intention from the very beginning has been to create a platform for RVCA, which combines art, music, fashion and a modern lifestyle in an original way. At the forefront of this vision has been RVCA’s Artist Network Program (ANP)-a venture established to showcase the talents of accomplished as well as unknown artists who inspire our generation and push the boundaries of creative excellence. Established to promote the genuine integrity of RVCA’s subcultures while simultaneously giving back to the community, RVCA in essence is redefining the way the market views art and fashion as represented through the balance of opposites and how they coexist: water, oil; air, land; destruction, industrialization; art, science; foreign, domestic; order, chaos; past, present. For RVCA, it is about today, tomorrow and life as the big picture. It is about inspiring our generation, providing something of substance and culture and above all doing it with integrity and as a united family, a close-knit community.
What I really love about RVCA is their motif of “the balance of opposites,” and the awesome design that comes along with it. Also they are doing great things in the community with the Artist Network Program. This is one of the companies that has been with me since I was little and, out of all the clothes I wear, I feel the best in a RVCA shirt.
“the balance of opposites”
OBEY
From the mind of artist and activist Shepard Fairy comes Obey. Once an underground graffiti artist, Shepard Fairy created the urban-inspired brand for both men and women. It’s known for tactfully combining street graffiti, activism, skateboarding, pop culture, and fashion. Most recognized for its one-of-a-kind art, Obey is always producing high-quality and unique graphic prints and graffiti stencil designs. They are notorious for incorporating these graphic prints onto classic clothing items giving them a modern edgy twist. Hoodies, tee shirts, jeans, and jackets are all transformed into unique pieces of streetwear through Obey’s exceptional ability to breathe life into even the most basic of clothing. Famous for their artistic interpretations of recent events, pop culture puns, and political satires, Obey clothing not only looks great but makes a statement as well. Infused with inventive and sensational graphic prints, their baseball tees, pullover sweatshirts, and snapback hats embody a hidden world of underground culture and urban art. The company has also been extremely successful in its efforts to contribute to various charities. The Obey Awareness program has contributed to the Surf Rider Foundation, the Feeding America charity and sends relief to our friends affected by natural disasters over seas in Haiti.
I don’t always agree with Obey’s messages, but I always dig their amazing designs. I think they have some of the best tees on the market, hands down. Also Shepard Fairy is one of my favorite artists of all time, he has the unique ability to cover all aspects of life with his art, and do it all with a cohesive style that can belong to no one other than himself.
“Obey propaganda”
YOUNG & UNITED
The 99% vs. The 1%. Blue vs. Red. These days, it seems like there’s more that drives us apart than there is that keeps us together as a country. But today, that changes. It’s time to remind ourselves what it’s like to be American. Time to remember that it takes more than a flag pin or a birth certificate - being American takes gumption. It takes ingenuity. It takes grit. In our nation’s greatest days existed an American spirit that brought the people together and fueled our country. Today, an opportunity waits. We live in a generation of possibilities, and a time where we define ourselves. Young and eager, enduring and passionate- ready to see change, ready to make change Now is the time to bring back that spirit. We need to get back to what America is best at– making things right here in the US at a quality that can’t be beat. Over the last year, we’ve been working to do just that. We are a 100% US-Made apparel and goods company designed for this generation to show they are Young&United. From the finest quality in men’s and women’s fashion, to leather-crafted goods, and pro-American artworks- everything is made right here in the US. Together we can light a movement in US Manufacturing and set a standard for doing things right.
100% manufactured and produced in the USA! I think it’s awesome that a company can and will still take the All-American approach. This supports American ingenuity and jobs while setting a high standard for “doing things right,” and creating superior quality goods. They are also encouraging a positive change in America’s youth by promoting unity. This is a really good company with a very pleasing aesthetic and positive message.
“WE ARE DREAMERS. WE ARE MAKERS. WE ARE YOUNG&UNITED”
History of the T-Shirt The inexpensive cotton and easy to clean garment became the shirt of choice by mothers for their sons as outerwear for chores and play. By the 1920’s “T-shirt” became an official American-English word in the MerriamWebster’s Dictionary. The earliest printed shirt was perhaps the Air Corps Gunnery School T-shirt featured on the July 13th, 1942 cover of LIFE magazine. Mickey Mouse would follow suit a few years later as an exclusively licensed print for Tropix Togs, a company founded by Sam Kantor in Miami, Florida. Aside from veterans and bluecollar workers, the popularity of the T-shirt skyrocketed to even greater heights when Marlon Brando wore one in A Streetcar Named Desire. It became fashionably cool to wear as an outer garment. In the late 1960s, the T-shirt became a means of self expression as wearable art as well as to convey commercial advertising, souvenir messages, and protests. Psychedelic artist Warren Dayton pioneered several political, and pop-culture art T-shirts featuring images of Cesar Chavez, political cartoons, and other cultural icons of that era. The designs produced in the 1970’s are just as popular today as they were then, if not perhaps more so. Some of the more notable shirt designs over the decades include the
yellow happy face T-shirts, The Rolling Stones’ “tongue and lips” logo, “Kiss me, I’m Irish” St. Patrick’s Day slogan, and the legendary “I ♥ N Y” or any of the “I ♥ ____” variants and spoofs such as “I ♥ baby seals”. Other popular shirt designs include “My parents went to ______ (name of place), and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!”, “Who farted?”, “I’m With stupid *”, and any standard tie-dye tee. Sometime between those designs, many colors of fabric as well as many variations of cuts and styles were added as options. Including: crew neck, raglan, ringers, tanks, babydoll, spaghetti strap, V neck, A-shirts, camisole, polo, and many more. As for placing designs on clothing this practice goes back even further to heraldic, tribal, political,and religious symbols being used on armor and clothes in various cultures from as far back as certain as the Ancient Greek and Roman times, perhaps even further like the Sumerian civilization. Probably some crude style paint over woven fabric or perhaps over fur to mark a hunting party member or perhaps signify rank. Today many types of design applications are used on apparel. Such methods as: Air brushing, embroidery, direct printing, heat transfer, silk screening, plot, and needlepoint to name a few.
10 Most influential
00 t-shirts of all time
-Brandon Rike
SOURCES Thread’s Not Dead By Jeff Finley Published by GO Media Unsplash Stock Photography http://unsplash.com/ The Guardian http://www.theguardian. com/us Takk Clothing http://takkclothing.bigcartel.com/ Lies And Filth http://www.liesandfilth. com/#!the_brand/c1enr Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost. com/style/ Zumies http://www.zumiez.com/ Highsnobiety http://www.highsnobiety. com/
Wild Art By David Carrier and Joachim Pissarro Published by Phaidon I’m Creator Stock Photography http://imcreator.com/free Epistle T-Shirts http://epistle-t-shirts.tumblr. com/ Life Is Good http://content.lifeisgood. com/goodvibes/home Young & United http://youngandunited. com/index.php Obey http://www.obeyclothing. com/ ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/ Custom Ink http://www.customink.com/
On The Road By Jack Kerouac Published by Penguin Books Gratisography Stock Photography http://www.gratisography. com/ THFKDLF http://thfkdlf.tumblr.com Common Ground http://cmmngrndperth. wordpress.com/ RVCA https://www.rvca.com/ Diamond Supply Co. http://www.diamondsupplyco.com/ T-Shirt Spotlight http://tshirtspotlight.com/ T-Shirt Birthday http://www.tshirtbirthday. com/
TEE S TEE S
REVOL REVOLU REVOLU
SHIRT SHIRT
LUTION LUTION UTION be thankful
Thank You
to everyone who helped make this happen. Thanks to my family for the ongoing support. Thanks to everyone who let me interview them. Thanks to the clothing companies that inspire me daily. Thanks to music for being with me every step of the way. Thanks to all my classmates for the constant feedback and help with the project. Thanks to all my sources for inspiring me and providing me with imagery and content. Thanks to Shelby Huckabay for being a great instructor and teaching me heaps of good stuff.