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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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.

The Gendered

The Technological

The

Que

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The Marvellous ‘n’ The Miscellaneous

The Marvellous ‘n’ The Miscellaneous

DESIGNERSPart Two

KATHARINE HAMNETT

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2K BY GINGHAMJEREMY DELLER

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TOPSHOP

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