WOMEN: Blue Eyed Girl

MEN: Great Lakes

October 20, 2005

events new york

Shopping Roundup

Shirting the Issue

by Lisa Stasiulewicz

While fashion has embraced all things vintage, old-school political activism is one thing that's been a bit slow to catch on with the style-conscious. But Downtown for Democracy is working to change that. A political action committee comprised of conscientious citizens in the arts and media fields with a mission to mobilize the young and creative, D4D recently gathered the oh-so chic and politically minded at Groupe 16sur20 (the fashion incubator/design gallery space run by the owners of Seize sur Vingt ) to launch its newest collection of designer tees.

The theme was Take Back New York, and the shirts, designed by fashion visionaries including Francisco Costa, Peter Som , Patricia Field , and Project Alabama , with slogans like, I Survived the First Bush Administration and The Iraqi Horror Picture Show, were the piece de résistance, ensuring politics was the topic of conversation. Eager partygoers snapped up the outspoken designs left and right, proving ones personal politics can still be worn on his or her sleeve.

T-shirts are $25 each, and are available for both men and women. They may be purchased online through www.downtownfordemocracy.org .