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Elle
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Why the Slogan T-Shirt Trend Is Back in a Big Way
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. 'I knew I would get canceled for this,' designer Marie Lueder joked to a reporter after her Berlin Fashion Week show. The most talked-about item in her collection was a tank top that boasted the slogan 'Men are so BACK,' a phrase Lueder says was inspired both by the TikTok refrain 'We are so back' and by the election of Donald Trump and the rise of the far-right AfD party in her native Germany. 'Humor is important as a weapon when you feel powerless,' she says. In fact, the London-based designer did not get canceled, but she did get more news coverage than she's used to. And she was working in a long-standing fashion tradition. From Katharine Hamnett's antinuclear T-shirts to Dior's 'We should all be feminists' tee, slogan shirts go hand in hand with turbulent times. This season, there were myriad statements to choose from, and designers themselves sometimes served as the models. Case in point: Willy Chavarria's 'How we love is who we are' finale look at his Paris show, part of a collaboration with Tinder and the Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of the 489 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the U.S. in the past year. Or Conner Ives's 'Protect the Dolls' shirt in support of trans rights—which the designer put up for sale online, with all proceeds going to Trans Lifeline. We first saw political slogan T-shirts gain steam in another tumultuous era, the late '60s, notes Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at FIT. The antiwar, civil rights, gay rights, and feminist movements all used the garment to underscore their message. 'It comes out of a protest tradition, and it proliferates very rapidly, because it's an obvious way of communicating a message,' she says. 'It becomes a billboard that you're wearing.' Today, with causes from immigrant rights to trans visibility on the front pages, the landscape has become even more splintered—and so have its style reverberations. Rather than unite around a shared cause, designers were inspired to broadcast specific, and sometimes very personal, sentiments. Designer Patricio Campillo, who wore his own topical 'El Golfo De México' design to take his bow, notes that 'one of the things that I love about Mexican culture is this ability that we have to satirize complicated situations.' The shirt, which riffed on Trump's executive order that the body of water be renamed 'Gulf of America,' was tongue-in-cheek, made to look like a souvenir that might be sold in local street markets. Like Lueder's tank, 'it went very viral. I wasn't expecting that,' Campillo says. 'It was all over the news, all over people's social media in Mexico and the U.S. I didn't realize how many different opinions were going to be expressed about it. It was a little bit overwhelming, and just for a second, I regretted it. But then I saw how proud Mexican Americans felt about it, and it felt like it was something bigger than me.' He now plans to donate a portion of the profits to organizations supporting transgender people and unaccompanied minors. That said, he adds, 'I don't think wearing a T-shirt is going to change anything, really.' There is power in a fashion statement, but only to a degree. 'We say in Mexico that it's easier when the griefs are shared, so that was the intention more than anything. I think it's just a symbol should stick together, right?' A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of ELLE. GET THE LATEST ISSUE OF ELLE
Fashion United
15-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Young talents, big visions: The winners of the fourth edition of FASHION X CRAFT
The winners of the fourth edition of the foster programme FASHION X CRAFT have been announced. Organised by Fashion Council Germany in collaboration with eBay Germany and The King's Foundation, the project offers young graduates in fashion and textile design a unique platform for development and creative exploration beyond conventional production methods. The most innovative concepts with a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship were selected from numerous applications, and the five project participants have now been announced. The future of fashion is sustainable, artisanal, and innovative — as demonstrated by the concepts of the winners: Aleksander Kudrischow (HAW HAMBURG), Jon Liesenfeld (AMD), Laura De Sousa (UNIVERSITY OF LISBON), Lennart Bohle (PFORZHEIM UNIVERSITY DESIGN), and Melanie Parzenczewski (HTW BERLIN). With their work, these selected talents are providing strong impulses for the industry. They are developing plant-based material alternatives, rethinking modularity and durability in their collections, and combining cultural heritage with forward-thinking design strategies. Over the next eight months, the young designers will take part in an extensive workshop and mentoring programme. Over the course of a several weeklong stay in Germany and a trip to Highgrove, the Education Centre of The King's Foundation in England, the participants will learn traditional crafts such as basket and loom weaving. During Berlin Fashion Week in February 2026, the five winners will present their developed designs as the final part of the project. Unlike in previous editions, the participants will go beyond creating a single piece and will instead develop a full collection composed of several looks. This will allow them to engage with every stage of the design process and explore their creative vision more deeply. They will be supported by Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of FCG, as well as in individual styling workshops. FASHION X CRAFT was initiated in 2022 by Fashion Council Germany in collaboration with the Swarovski Foundation and The King's Foundation. The overarching goal is to discover emerging designers early and provide them with traditional craft techniques and practices to support their entry into the fashion industry. The fourth edition continues in partnership with eBay and The King's Foundation – with an even stronger focus on sustainable design approaches. The winners of previous editions have since founded their own labels, including Milk of Lime, IMPARI, and SVEASØN. Thanks to the experience and support they received, they have successfully launched their own presentations, shows, and concepts at Berlin Fashion Week, establishing themselves in the German fashion landscape. The success of these alumni highlights the importance of programs like FASHION X CRAFT for the creative and sustainable transformation of the fashion industry.
Fashion United
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Berlin Fashion Week talk format 'METAMORPHOSIS - dialogues about change' establishes itself with its third edition
The talk format 'METAMORPHOSIS – dialogues about change' powered by eBay will return for its third edition during the upcoming Berlin Fashion Week in July 2025. Organised by Fashion Council Germany (FCG) in partnership with eBay Germany, the event will take place from June 30 to July 3, 2025. For of four days, a diverse series of talks with national and international industry experts will focus on the core themes of circularity and creativity. Entering its third edition, 'METAMORPHOSIS' is evolving into a platform for meaningful dialogue and aims to create momentum for ongoing progress and change. The programme is designed to engage not only professionals but also the wider public—recognising that real transformation requires both sides: the fashion industry and the consumers. Content-wise, the series will focus on the necessary transformation of the fashion industry, with key topics including circularity, innovation, technology, and creativity—themes central to both eBay and Fashion Council Germany. These topics will be explored through a mix of panels, interviews, and keynotes. The four-day programme will be structured around the following themes: Day 1 (30.06.) – Futurecraft: Fashion's Next Frontiers Exploring new technologies, breakthrough materials and innovative business models that are redefining fashion. Day 2 (01.07.) – The Circular Shift: Scaling Impact with Smart Systems Strategies, systems and solutions to drive circularity and change in the fashion industry. Day 3 (02.07.) – Lead & Thrive: Building the Business of Tomorrow Entrepreneurship, leadership, and communication in an evolving fashion landscape. Day 4 (03.07.) – Creativity as Currency: Designing for Meaning & Relevance A focus on the creative process as a driver of values, culture and conscious consumption. Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany, emphasises: 'With 'METAMORPHOSIS', we are establishing a platform that openly discusses the urgent transformation the fashion industry needs, while presenting concrete solutions. Innovation, creativity, and an open dialogue between the industry and the public are crucial to shaping a circular future.' 'Our partnership with Fashion Council Germany is a key part of our vision to advance circularity in fashion. As a leading pre-loved marketplace, eBay supports innovation and creative solutions that empower both brands and consumers to participate in a functional circular economy—with the goal of fundamentally transforming the industry.', adds Mandy Krüger, Head of Fashion at eBay. The programme will again be realised in collaboration with Ann Claes, co-founder of Belgian agency Masjien, to ensure an international approach from the earliest stages of planning. More than 40 industry experts will share their knowledge and spark discussions as part of 'METAMORPHOSIS - dialogues about change' powered by eBay at the SS26 edition of Berlin Fashion Week. Among them will be representatives from eBay, further solidifying the brand's role as a key player in the fashion industry. Further information on speakers, the location, and the detailed programme will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
