Everything
If you’re anything like me, or anyone who loves a good basic really, the T-shirt has become a necessity for daily dressing – in fact, I have four hung on the clothes horse in front of me as I feverishly work from home. Dress it up, dress it down. Early morning work outs, late night drinks. Under a blazer, over ripped jeans. You get the point.
Amid the chaos 2020 has ushered to our doorsteps, the T-shirt has simplified at least one aspect of our privileged lives, the morning dilemma: what do I wear today? Particularly as we shift into a more accepted work-from-home culture around the globe. And furthermore, has become a mode of activism and charity through its blank canvas.
READ: HOW ON T-SHIRT (OR MANY) ARE HELPING SAVE THE WORLD
Luxury menswear e-tailer, Mr Porter, has recognised the power of the humble T-shirt with the return of its successful The Tee Store; an exclusive, seasonal capsule collection of T-shirts created and produced by 19 of MR PORTER’s leading contemporary and designer brands. 61 exclusive T-shirts are made available from the likes of Acne Studios, AFFIX, Aries, Beams, Billionaire Boys Club, Blue Blue Japan, BODE, Carhartt WIP, Casablanca, COME TEES, Endless Joy, Enfants Riches Déprimés, iggy, KAPITAL, Pasadena Leisure Club, Pop Trading Company, Reese Cooper® and Vans.
Speaking to Mr Porter Buyer, George Archer, the choice of participants came down to championing a new generation of designers as well as honouring established brands. “Ultimately, the 19-brand Tee Store represents a balance of long-standing contemporary partners of MR PORTER, such as Acne Studios, Beams and Blue Blue Japan through to some of the most sought-after brands right now including sustainable artisanal label BODE, sportswear-inspired brand Casablanca, and fresh face to MR PORTER, skater-slash-model-slash-designer Mr Evan Mock’s streetwear label Sorry In Advance.”
READ: THE HISTORY OF THE T-SHIRT
Following last years success on the first Tee Store from Mr Porter, it only made sense to bring the collaborative giant back.
“What we’ve done is pretty straight-forward – we’ve taken a simple silhouette, and commissioned some of our contemporary brands to treat it as a blank canvas for visual interpretation. And although it’s a simple concept, the outcome is exciting, diverse and has global appeal,” Archer explained to ICON. “Some decided to re-visit past collections and their archives, others sought collaborations with friends and artists, and others just wanted to have fun with new prints they may not have done in their seasonal lines.”
Shop the Buyer’s picks below.
“For anyone that knows me, I am a rhinestone fan, when done in the right way of course! Like this Sorry In Advance tee. While designer Evan Mock paid homage to his Hawaiian homeland for his capsule for Mr Porter, he managed to keep a grunge and almost goth feel to it, which I personally appreciate. The dropped shoulder seams create a relaxed vibe that would pair perfectly with my favorite baggy Carhartt WIP pants.”
Sorry In Advance Crystal-Embellished Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt / $70 AUD SHOP NOW
“I unashamedly tend to lean towards clothes with animals, or any sort of creature on. It probably is my younger self speaking to me as well as my enduring love for animals in general. This Casablanca t-shirt is yet another addition to my many other t-shirts that fit this bill with it’s cute Dalmatian puppy print – also a teaser on what’s to come from their amazing, upcoming FW20 collection.”
Casablanca Printed Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt / $105 AUD SHOP NOW
READ: MIKE FAHERTY ON REVIVING NOSTALGIA OF SUMMER
“This tee from Aries inspired by Mr Massimo Mattioli’s darkly funny Squeak The Mouse comic is also one of my favourites. Aries’s co-founder Ms Sofia Prantera has been collecting T-shirts all her life as she believes that t-shirts have become a way of expression and belonging. Therefore, as a way of expression, the brand chose the Squeak The Mouse comic as the cartoonish prints are in line with the brand’s idiosyncratic vision. I really like how the brand keeps it experimental and original in their two collaborations with us in The Tee Store.”
Aries Acid-Washed Printed Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt / $90 AUD SHOP NOW
Shop the full offering from The Tee Store, here.
