Wear your attitude

Prachi Mudgil

Since fashion is a very individual statement, the personality of a designer usually gets reflected in his or her creations. For example, Giorgio Armani's near-obsessive passion for clean lines is mirrored in the brand’s couture. Versace’s collections have a distinct colourful inclination and Calvin Klein, even at the age of 72, is a sportsman at heart, which becomes obvious in the athletic casualness of his designs.

However, leading designers are now keeping it simple and straight. What they feel and think is found written in letters or printed as such on their creations and these also find a resonance with their fashion followers. The trend is termed graphic T-shirts.

Make a statement

Sometimes called statement T-shirts, these are a big hit across all age groups. Though there is a glut of such T-shirts in the market, but the real premium is on those launched by iconic names like Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Burberry and many more.

The concept of graphic T-shirts may not be new, but their demand saw a spurt in 2015 and became a bright spot in an otherwise lacklustre season. Retailing for as little as Rs 100 to almost Rs 50,000 (for those made by inspirational brands), these T-shirts, which first started making waves in the early 2000s are enjoying a sudden resurgence in demand. If you look back at the history of the tees, these first became popular in the 1980s and 1990s when fashion labels began taking advantage of a variety of graphic-design techniques made possible by technology.

Range of designs

Made for both sexes, these can have crewneck, v-neck, and deep-v. The focal point of these T-shirts is neither the cut nor construction, but the designs which are printed on the front, sides or back. With the influx of technology like iron-on transfer paper, computer imaging software and specialised printers, it has also become easy for people to create their own graphic motifs and messages for T-shirts.

These designs can range from random art to characters to wildlife to scenery to images to written social or political message. These can be funny, obscure, retro, rebellious or even puerile. One of the most popular T-shirts by French designer Jean Paul Gaultier has a lion print covering the entire front of the black-cotton tee. Costing over Rs 49,000 it has a long line of admirers that include Hollywood stars and celebrities from other fields.

Or take the case of Givenchy’s graphic T-shirt with a Doberman’s face printed on it. It is so popular that the company is said to have restricted its sale to two per person. French haute couture brand Balenciaga's spring collection includes a regal black graphic T-shirt embroidered with the words...‘Devils in Balenciaga’ which retails for a whopping $2,590 (around Rs. 1.55 lakh).

Runaway success

In fact, the reasons for the runaway success of some of these tees can sometimes stump even the most experienced industry insiders. For example, T-shirts which have printed sentences like, ‘Too cool for school’, from Urban Outfitters, ‘I'm not doing homework tonight,’ from Old Navy and ‘Not a wifebeater’ are a favourite with many young fashion enthusiasts.

Experts say that graphic tee is a very effective way of communicating with the world around. It is also the reason why youngsters prefer it to usual T-shirts. What you wear is considered an extension of your personality, so make your that you know the meaning of what is even written between the lines.

So, if your wardrobe is full of the boring clothes, you too can perk up your style with a few graphic tees to make a perfect style statement.