Fashion is a weapon. The words of Donatella Versace has never rung truer than with the slogan tee. Over the decades, the simple notion of printing words on a t-shirt has been a humble yet impactful means of activism; a political weapon of choice that fires up a storm even behind closed doors. One can easily attribute the popularity of the slogan tee to the grande dame of political fashion herself, Katharine Hamnett. It was way back in 1984, after all, when the fashion designer famously met the then-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and wore a tee that read ‘58% don’t want Pershing’, an anti-nuclear statement in response to Thatcher’s decision to allow USA’s nuclear and cruise missiles to be stationed in the UK.
There’s also late punk queen Vivienne Westwood—known for her creative strokes and activism in equal measure—who dialled in with her own t-shirt designs that spoke up on societal and environmental issues throughout her myriad collections. In 2016, Maria Grazia Chiuri made her debut at Dior—as the first woman to ever head up the creative direction for the storied maison—with a statement for change: as a ‘We should all be feminists’ slogan tee made its way down the runway.
The latest to hit the stratosphere? Conner Ives’s ‘Protect The Dolls’ tee. First worn down the runway by the designer himself in his fall/winter 2025 show, the tee is Ives’s way of showing his support for the trans community, in a time when the future of the community seems even more uncertain than ever. The power of the slogan tee lies in its quiet rebellion. A message that goes beyond the clothes—a piece of clothing that tells it like it is and incites conversation. In an instant, it’s a means of branding yourself and stating your allegiances with communities that are often overlooked and suffering for it. And in times like these, allyship counts.
The tee has since made its rounds amid the celebrity folk. Troye Sivan, for one, wore his tee up on stage for his surprise performance at Charli XCX’s set during Coachella. Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal—whose sister had also come out as trans in recent years—wore the tee to the London premiere of Marvel’s Thunderbolts. Others such as Tilda Swinton, Haider Ackermann and Addison Rae have also been seen spawning the tee from their own closets.
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The phenomenon of the British designer’s ‘Protect The Dolls’ tee is concrete proof that the graphic or slogan tee continues to have staying power. And beyond just exclaiming your political allegiances or speaking your truth, the tee is a fashion statement of its own too. Below, some slogan tees that will certainly make an impact when you wear it—be it a shout for a cause you’re passionate about or whether you’re simply passing the message on.
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Conner Ives 'Protect The Dolls' t-shirt, $132
Available at Conner Ives.
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Vivienne Westwood 'War is the cause of climate change' t-shirt, $414
Available at Vivienne Westwood.
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Dior 'We Should All Be Feminists' t-shirt, $586
Available at Vestiaire Collective.
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Online Ceramics 'Everything Will Be Okay' t-shirt, $112
Available at Ssense.
