Written February 2018
Fashion can be a wonderful tool for making a statement, and in today’s socio-political climate, this is truer than ever. Take Tom Ford’s AW18 collection at New York Fashion Week, starring accessories reading “Pussy Power,” fitting for an era of #TimesUp. But at the T-Shirt: Cult, Culture, Subversion exhibition in the Fashion and Textile Museum, a case is made for the humble T-shirt being the most powerful garment for putting across a message.
The exhibition emulates browsing through a vintage store. If not solely through the 80s/90s playlist and basement-style setting, then for the way each item has a unique background. However, this vintage shop is divided into 12 instalments that explore the T-shirt’s power.
The slogan tee dominates the ground floor with T-shirts proclaiming on issues from climate change to sexuality. Of course, a selection of activist Katharine Hamnett’s oversized, bold text designs, are included. Hamnett popularised the slogan tee in the 80s when she wore a “58% DON'T WANT PERSHING” top to meet Margret Thatcher.
Upstairs Dior’s coveted “We Should All Be Feminists” T-shirt, part of Maria Grazia Chiuri’s first collection for Dior in 2017, sits amongst the high-fashion designs. The feminist theme has been carried forward to Dior’s SS18 collection where a Breton top reads; “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” – indicating slogan tees are here to stay.
But perhaps most prevalent throughout the exhibition are Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s politically charged, punk tops. Amid the novelty tees lives McLaren’s muscle tee with a neon pink image of boobs, renowned for encouraging the Free the Nipple movement in the 70s. Variations of the top are reproduced to this day, for instance Never Fully Dressed’s T-shirt of a drawing of boobs, seen on Kendall Jenner.
In a world responding to issues from Brexit to sexism, the exhibition sparks an urge to swap your staple plain white tee for something more meaningful. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but clearly so does a T-shirt.
Find the exhibition at 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF, the closest tube stop is London Bridge.
Images by Millie Richardson
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