Latest news with #ConnerIves
Vogue
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Bella Hadid Ditches the Cowboy Boots for '80s Nostalgia
Bella Hadid (people's princess and British Vogue's June cover star) may be in her horse girl era–all cowboy boots and Miss Sixty denim–but this week, the queen of cowboy chic took a detour straight into '80s nostalgia, embracing the polka dot mania currently gripping London. Swapping her rodeo-ready staples for a spotty midi-dress worn under a leather jacket, Bella added socks and chunky sneakers. Like Irina Shayk in Cannes this week, she's taking a leaf out of the summer-in-London style playbook with this dress + dad trainer combo. Of course, trendsetting is second nature for Miss Hadid. Who could forget the Uggs and micro shorts era that briefly broke the internet? Now, her return to the spotlight coincides with the Princess Di-approved polka dot print having its moment in the sun. Love it or hate it, the '80s favourite is back with a vengeance, popping up on the runways at Conner Ives, Valentino, and Moschino, and dominating street style and social media alike.
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Protect The Dolls: How A $99 T-Shirt Redefined The Power Of Fashion
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Pedro Pascal attends the "Thunderbolts*" UK Special Screening at ... More Cineworld Leicester Square on April 22, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) On the eve of his London Fashion Week runway show, American fashion designer Conner Ives grabbed a deadstock white T-shirt, stamped the words Protect the Dolls onto it with transfer paper, and pulled it over his head. No brand strategists. No marketing campaign. Just raw instinct — the kind I feel leaders need to adopt more but rarely do. The Dolls? Transgender women — a community facing escalating attacks on their rights, visibility, and safety. In queer communities, 'doll' is a term of affection, pride, and belonging — a coded word that speaks volumes without explanation. The next night, as Ives took his bow at the end of the fashion week catwalk, the Dolls T-Shirt didn't just land — it detonated. It tore through social media, dominated fashion rankings, and hijacked global headlines. Conner Ives hadn't just designed a T-shirt, he had triggered a marketing movement. And within 24 hours, over 2,500 orders flooded in — each one supporting Trans Lifeline, a community-driven organization providing crisis support to trans people in need. If you've read The Kim Kardashian Principle, you already know where I stand: Leaders who win are the ones brave enough to create more of these moments — unvarnished, emotional, and unapologetically true. LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: Designer, Connor Ives walks the runway at the Conner Ives show during ... More London Fashion Week February 2022 on February 18, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images for BFC) For years, slogan tees were dismissed as slactivism — easy gestures without real substance. So how did Protect the Dolls hit differently? It wasn't just a statement, it was a shield. A visible call to arms at a time when trans woman visibility is being ripped apart — in courts, in legislation, and in public discourse. The Dolls T-Shirts weren't selling fashion, they were selling solidarity. When I wore a "Orban Love Wins" message across the back of my Gucci jacket on the red carpet at the MTV EMAs in Budapest, Hungary, in 2021, it didn't just generate support from the local LGBTQI+ community — it made global headlines. At the time, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had recently pushed through legislation in 2021 that banned the depiction of LGBTQI+ content to minors, part of a broader crackdown on LGBTQI+ rights. In a country where state-sponsored discrimination was becoming law, the message wasn't just a fashion choice — it was my act of protest, a show of solidarity, and a public stand against political repression. What I learned then — and still believe now — is that context matters. When the world feels the sharp edge of peril, fashion choices stop being choices and they become cultural flashpoints. Today, amongst our most savvy Gen Z audiences, brands don't get a pass for lazy signaling. As a McKinsey study shows, consumers demand authenticity that cuts deeper than words. They expect brands to put real skin in the game — especially when it comes to defending the rights of transgender women, trans men, and non-binary individuals facing systemic threats. Troye Sivan (left) at Coachella with Lorde, Charli xcx and Billie Eilish. It wasn't just what Conner Ives said. It was how he said it. Protect. The. Dolls. Short. Direct. Familiar, yet radical. In queer communities, "doll" is a term of endearment — a private language of affection and solidarity. But in the wider community, the word can sound flippant or even objectifying. From this standpoint, the slogan is polarizing but Ives didn't care as he chose authenticity over universal approval. As research from the Journal of Business Research shows, linguistic precision in branding isn't decorative; it's transformative. The right words create movements — and sometimes, they divide before they unite. When Ives chose "Protect the Dolls" over safer slogans like "Support Trans Rights" or "Love the Dolls," he made a statement of solidarity as he didn't aim for consensus or the safer more palatable version. He made a statement that was emotional, not clinical. Protective, not patronizing. I've said it before and I'll say it again: some of the most powerful brand ideas are no longer afraid of hate. In fact, hate is a status symbol — proof that you've struck a nerve deep enough to matter. And in my experience, brands that understand the emotional weight of language always win bigger than brands that chase clarity at the expense of feeling. Tilda Swinton wearing the T-shirt. Photograph: Twitter The ripple effect was immediate — and electric. Pedro Pascal, beloved not just for his acting but for his visible support of the LGBTQ+ community (and brother to Lux Pascal, a trans woman herself), wore the Dolls T-Shirt alongside DJ Honey Dijon. Pop stars, Troye Sivan wore it during his Coachella set and Addison Rae wore hers on Instagram. Actor, Tilda Swinton reportedly ordered several for herself and her friends. In fashion, often times this kind of celebrity endorsement feels choreographed, but ut here, it felt urgent — and real. The intersection of celebrity influence and grassroots activism created the perfect storm. Meanwhile, across the pond, the UK Supreme Court handed down a regressive ruling on gender definition, excluding trans women from parts of the Equality Act protections. It felt like a slap to the community of people already fighting for basic dignity. The Dolls T-Shirt wasn't just a fashion choice anymore; it was armor. A recent study in the Journal of Textile Design Research and Practice shows how fashion activism is no longer fringe. It's now a recognized force in building socio-economic resilience, particularly among marginalized groups. The experiences of transgender people — too often erased or politicized — were now stitched into the mainstream conversation. In today's world, the brands — and the leaders — who will shape the future won't be the ones hiding behind aesthetics. They'll be the ones brave enough to take sides, to build brands with purpose, to defend marginalized communities, to fight for transgender women, to challenge regressive gender stereotypes, and to recognize that preferred gender is no longer an opinion — it's a human right. The world has changed. Leadership must catch up. Protect the Dolls reminds us that fashion is always political, whether we're ready for it or not. I have no doubt that American designer Conner Ives will, in part, be remembered for the night he turned a DIY graphic T-shirt into a weapon of beauty, resistance, and solidarity. Protect the Dolls wasn't a whisper. It was a roar. And for leaders who bristle at the Dolls T-Shirts — who roll their eyes at yet another political statement on a fashion week catwalk — maybe it's worth asking a harder question. Is the real discomfort not about the cause itself, but about what leadership demands today? That you must change again. That you must put yourself — your brand, your reputation — on the line. That leadership now means confronting culture, not just selling into it. Because in a culture that still debates the validity of gender recognition certificates, silence isn't neutrality. It's complicity. And if you're not brave enough to wear your beliefs on a deadstock white T-shirt — I have to ask you — are you really brave enough to lead at all? Named Esquire's Influencer of the Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality and leading voice in fashion, entertainment, and influence, and author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right).
Business of Fashion
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business of Fashion
‘Protect the Dolls' T-Shirt Becomes a Fashion Symbol for Trans Rights
When the designer Conner Ives took his bow after his London fashion week show this February, he wore a T-shirt that proclaimed 'Protect the Dolls.' Two months later, the design — and its message supporting trans women, who are affectionately called 'dolls' in the LGBTQ+ community — has become ever more popular. The singer Troye Sivan wore it to perform at Coachella, and the actor Pedro Pascal wore it for the London premiere of the film Thunderbolts, just days after the supreme court ruled that when the Equality Act referred to women, it only meant biological sex and did not include transgender women. Ives initially saw the T-shirt as a one-off statement, but demand changed that. On sale on his website for £75 ($100), about 5,000 orders have been placed in the last month. With proceeds going to the American organisation Trans Lifeline, as of Thursday evening Ives estimated it had raised about £380,000, with 'that figure going up by the hour.' The designer, an American based in London, says the T-shirt was a response to anti-trans policies put in place by Donald Trump, and in support of trans friends including the model Hunter Pifer. Even he has been surprised by how popular it is. 'I never had that intention when I was doing it,' he says. 'I was just like 'this is what I want to say. This is what feels right' and it turned into something else.' At a protest in London last weekend against the supreme court decision, the slogan was used on signs, showing it now has life beyond T-shirts. 'I was discussing this with Myles [Markham], who works at Trans Lifeline,' says Ives. 'He was saying they didn't have their call to arms. He said, 'We finally have a message.'' Cliff Joannou, the editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine, says Sivan wearing the T-shirt was a crucial moment. 'Any time men from the gay community stand up for the trans community, it's a really important moment to celebrate,' he says. Nicky Josephine, who writes about trans issues for Vogue, agrees. 'What is most important is the fact that it's cis men that you've seen wearing it most,' she says. 'They both have connections to trans women so it's real allyship, there's nothing performative to it.' T-shirts have, of course, long provided a device to endorse causes or make statements. Joannou name-checks George Michael and his 'Choose Life' T-shirt in the 1980s, and Philip Normal's It's a Sin-inspired 'La.' T-shirt, which raised £20,000 in 24 hours for the Terrence Higgins Trust. Charlie Craggs, a trans activist and influencer, also makes T-shirts with statements in support of trans rights. She wore one to the Glamour awards in 2023, reading 'Transphobia Will Never Be Glamour,' referencing a moment in 'RuPaul's Drag Race.' 'Everyone else is wearing a pretty dress, and if you're wearing a white T-shirt with a few words, everyone in the room is reading it,' she says. 'It's a clever way of getting the message across really easily.' The simplicity of the statement on Ives's T-shirt is crucial — Craggs says its impact is instant. 'It's important to be political right now,' she adds. 'Even if it's not in front of cameras on a red carpet, it's just sitting in front of someone on the tube, people are going to be looking at what's written on your chest.' Ives says: 'I love that we can sell the T-shirts, but it's more than just that. The IP is what is popular, that's the most beautiful thing in the world.' By Lauren Cochrane Learn more: Why Genderless Fashion Is the Future Performance artist and designer Alok Menon argues that the fashion and beauty industries need to 'de-gender' fashion to better celebrate trans and nonbinary people.
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Protect the Dolls' T-shirt becomes a fashion symbol for trans rights
When the designer Conner Ives took his bow after his London fashion week show this February, he wore a T-shirt that proclaimed 'Protect the Dolls'. Two months later, the design – and its message supporting trans women, who are affectionately called 'dolls' in the LGBTQ+ community – has become ever more popular. The singer Troye Sivan wore it to perform at Coachella, and the actor Pedro Pascal wore it for the London premiere of the film Thunderbolts, just days after the supreme court ruled that when the Equality Act referred to women, it only meant biological sex and did not include transgender women. Ives initially saw the T-shirt as a one-off statement, but demand changed that. On sale on his website for £75, about 5,000 orders have been placed in the last month. With proceeds going to the American organisation Trans Lifeline, as of Thursday evening Ives estimated it had raised about £380,000, with 'that figure going up by the hour'. The designer, an American based in London, says the T-shirt was a response to anti-trans policies put in place by Donald Trump, and in support of trans friends including the model Hunter Pifer. Even he has been surprised by how popular it is. 'I never had that intention when I was doing it,' he says. 'I was just like 'this is what I want to say. This is what feels right' and it turned into something else.' At a protest in London last weekend against the supreme court decision, the slogan was used on signs, showing it now has life beyond T-shirts. 'I was discussing this with Myles [Markham], who works at Trans Lifeline,' says Ives. 'He was saying they didn't have their call to arms. He said 'we finally have a message'.' Cliff Joannou, the editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine, says Sivan wearing the T-shirt was a crucial moment. 'Any time men from the gay community stand up for the trans community, it's a really important moment to celebrate,' he says. Nicky Josephine, who writes about trans issues for Vogue, agrees. 'What is most important is the fact that it's cis men that you've seen wearing it most,' she says. 'They both have connections to trans women so it's real allyship, there's nothing performative to it.' T-shirts have, of course, long provided a device to endorse causes or make statements. Joannou namechecks George Michael and his 'Choose Life' T-shirt in the 1980s, and Philip Normal's It's a Sin-inspired 'La.' T-shirt, which raised £20,000 in 24 hours for the Terrence Higgins Trust. Charlie Craggs, a trans activist and influencer, also makes T-shirts with statements in support of trans rights. She wore one to the Glamour awards in 2023, reading 'Transphobia Will Never Be Glamour', referencing a moment in RuPaul's Drag Race. 'Everyone else is wearing a pretty dress, and if you're wearing a white T-shirt with a few words, everyone in the room is reading it,' she says. 'It's a clever way of getting the message across really easily.' Sign up to Fashion Statement Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved after newsletter promotion The simplicity of the statement on Ives's T-shirt is crucial – Craggs says its impact is instant. 'It's important to be political right now,' she adds. 'Even if it's not in front of cameras on a red carpet, it's just sitting in front of someone on the tube, people are going to be looking at what's written on your chest.' Ives says: 'I love that we can sell the T-shirts, but it's more than just that. The IP is what is popular, that's the most beautiful thing in the world.'
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pedro Pascal's t-shirt sends a powerful message of support for the trans community
twitter Actor Pedro Pascal recently made a strong statement on the red carpet—not through words, but through fashion. At the UK premiere of Marvel's Thunderbolts, Pascal wore a red T-shirt that said 'Protect the Dolls.' While the shirt may seem like a trendy item at first glance, it carries a much deeper meaning and personal connection for the actor. According to a report by HOLA! USA senior writer Daniel Neira, the T-shirt was created by American designer Conner Ives. The message, 'Protect the Dolls,' is a term used affectionately within the LGBTQ+ community to refer to transgender women. It serves as a call to action, urging people to stand up for and support trans women, especially during a time when they face increased hostility and political attacks in various parts of the world. Pedro Pascal's appearance in this shirt wasn't just a fashion choice. The actor has been a long-time supporter of trans rights, particularly since his sister, Lux Pascal, publicly came out as transgender in 2021. Ever since then, Pedro has used his platform to advocate for acceptance and equality. His recent outfit is being viewed as another sign of his ongoing support for the trans community. Designer Conner Ives shared that the idea for the T-shirt came from his concerns about the rising political threats to trans people, especially in the U.S. He said that he could no longer ignore the situation, especially since many of the models in his fashion shows are trans women, and he has close friends who are directly affected. Other celebrities have also been seen wearing the same shirt. Singer Troye Sivan wore it at Coachella, while social media star Addison Rae also posted photos of herself wearing it. Even Florence Pugh praised Pedro Pascal's gesture during an interview with MTV UK. A key feature of this campaign is that part of the money made from selling the T-shirt goes to a nonprofit group called Trans Lifeline. This organization is run by and for transgender people, providing support through crisis hotlines and other essential services. The goal is to offer real help to a community that often faces discrimination and a lack of resources. Pedro Pascal's choice to wear the shirt, especially on such a public stage, shows that he's using his fame for a cause that matters deeply to him. It was not just about fashion—it was about family, human rights, and showing support when it's needed most. Stay updated with the latest Best Hindi Movies , Best Tamil Movies , Best Telugu Movies , Best english Movies , Best Malayalam Movies
