Fashion Statement

This is a great idea. Unfortunately, this line seems to fall short of paying enough respect to the causes they represent on their clothing: Their t-shirts--cotton T-SHIRTS!--cost $92. With an anti-poverty slogan printed on them. And only 15% of the profits go to charity.

Though I appreciate the piece, and I understand that the designers have good intentions and their line serves a specific clientele, I can't help but focus on the absurdity of the concept. Wouldn't more money go to the causes if the consumer just bought a less expensive t-shirt and donated the remaining $70 to charity? (YES)

Which leaves the awareness question: nearly all of these shirts have slogans on them that are so vague that they simply cannot spread very much awareness to the people (most people!) who can't afford to buy them and take the time to read the inside of the shirt, where the actual information is printed.

I can say all of this because I used to buy "awareness clothing" before I lived in the least developed country in the world. Now I know that shopping is not a solution, and--as great as the messages on the insides of these shirts are--it doesn't spread awareness.

Thanks for the comments 'see'. I appreciate your point of view but respectfully disagree.

If change were to come about simply based on morality we would already have it! The sad truth is that this is simply not the case.

Awareness needs to be spread by any means necessary and while you may not agree, high fashion is definitely a means.

Andrei and Yael both left jobs with big corporate clothing companies to follow their hearts (jobs that many designers would kill for but which left them both feeling empty and unfulfilled at the end of the day). I would not have done this piece on them if I was not 100% confident that they were sincere about trying to make a difference while doing their art.

I understand that the price tag will cause some people to miss the potential behind what Andrei and Yael are doing. If, however, you know anything about Fred Segal or high fashion in general, you'll know that the price of their t-shirts is right in line with the intended market.

Another thing you should be aware of (which I did not include in my piece) is that both Andrei and Yael have self funded Social Atelier and are currently living on money they saved from their previous jobs while pursuing their dream. Like most upstarts, it will take them at least a year before they start seeing a profitable return on their business (if they even suceed at all!).

By saying, 'Wouldn't more money go to the causes if the consumer just bought a less expensive t-shirt and donated the remaining $70 to charity? (YES)', you are completely missing the point of this pod.

LIke I stated earlier, if change were to come simply based on morality, there would be no poverty, no hunger, no violence, no hate. Andrei and Yael are not aiming at the type of people whom are already inclined to do what you've proposed, they are aiming at the type of people whom are not.

You can not raise awareness in each and every person the same way. Each individual needs to be enlightened in a way in which they can relate to and embrace.

The information on the insides of the shirts is not meant for the casual passer by, it is meant to educate the person whom is actually purchasing the shirt. Andrei and Yael are hoping that the information they have provided will inspire their customers to learn more.

While putting messages inside of a $90 t-shirt may seem vacuous to you, that same t-shirt just may awaken somebody else to an issue they were not already aware of.

Even though you disagree with what Social Ateiler is doing, I really hope you checked out the link to the Solar Cooker Project. It is such a simple yet brilliant idea and the $30 goes a long way;

$30 SOLAR COOKER Donation Provides:

2 Solar Cookers per family
2 Pots
2 Pot Holders
Year supply of plastic bags
Skills Training for refugee women and girls

At the end of the Current cut of my pod, Current included the fact that Social Atelier had raised money for over 200 solar cookers at the time of their launch party. This was prior to their shirts making their official debut at Fred Segal. That may not mean much to you or to others but I guarantee that it means a lot to the families receiving the aid in Darfur.

Like a lot of folks, I couldn't swing the dough for a t-shirt either. I did however donate to the Solar Cooker Project;

http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/donate/solarcookerproject.html

Have you?

Thanks again for the feedback. The world would be a boring place if we all agreed and I find a healthy debate to be good for any cause!

Peace

Hi filmpunk,
Thank you for responding to me.

I didn't mean to question the integrity of the designers, but I did mean to draw attention to the absurdity of the idea of a $92 anti-poverty t-shirt.

And yes, I do know about Fred Segal, as I was a customer there for 13 years. I agree that they've got the right price-point for their clientele, but the fact remains that they're selling cotton t-shirts for $92, so it still stands to reason that it's possible for them to donate a good percentage of the profit (which Fred Segal may even be able to match at some point) to the charity.
Which is respectable.
But the rationale is still absurd. Plain and simple.
(And that is NOT a judgment on the line or it's designers, but rather on the culture--American consumer culture-- Andrei mentions)

And no, I have not donated money towards a solar cooker yet, and that's because I have to do my own research into the organization first. In the mean time I donate money directly to Amnesty International and the Save Darfur Coalition, which I have volunteered for . I also send supplies directly to a family of 10 in Niger.

So thanks again for your response, which did give me more information, but did not change my mind.