Marlon Brando’s performance as Stanley Kowalowski in Elia Kazan’s 1950 screen adaptation of “A Streetcar Named Desire” didn’t just earn him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, it also reinvented men’s fashion. Up until that point, the T-shirt was regarded as an undergarment primarily worn underneath the uniforms of soldiers fighting in warm climates.
Brando’s T-shirt was custom-made by the costume department since fitted T-shirts did not exist at the time of the film’s production. James Dean later continued what Brando started, setting the T-shirt up as an early icon of the “rebel” style. Soon enough, men turned in their conservative business suits for these casual stand-alone garments.
T-shirts have undergone drastic transformations since the heyday of old Hollywood. From runways to the streets, this longtime favorite in promotional apparel currently is showing softer fabrics, exaggerated necklines and bold colors.
FASHION!
According to Margaret Crow, director of marketing at S&S Activewear, Bolingbrook, Ill., fashion T-shirts are more in demand in the promotional products industry than ever before. “It used to be that basic T-shirts were the only ones being screen printed. But now fashion T-shirts―burnouts, combed ring-spun cotton and trendy silhouettes―are being shown printed at retail, so promotional products dealers are asking for and buying more trendy styles,” she observed.
Crow added that customers selling printed shirts at restaurants, museums, resorts and similar locations are finding more success if the shirts show their message on a variety of fashion T-shirt options.
Mary Ellen Nichols, MAS, director of marketing communications for Bodek and Rhodes, Philadelphia, also subscribes to the theory that there is room for fashion in this market. “Our younger buyers and style-watchers are demanding fashion, just like they see in the retail stores. There is not only room for fashion, but a place for fashion, and it is a predominant place,” she stressed. “Our young buyers now making purchasing decisions were bred on fashion and brand names. They will continue that choice with their promotional wear.”
THE HOT LIST
Promotional suppliers are observing several notable trends for 2012. Nichols provided a long list of fashion features that have “morphed the T-shirt this season into runway chic.” The ultimate goal is to take the classic look of tees to a whole new level because contemporary buyers, younger ones in particular, want character.
“That means super-soft fabrics, such as tri-blends, CVC, jersey knits and sumptuous ring-spun combed cotton or even performance tees,” said Nichols. Alternative fabric treatments, such as burnouts and slub fabrics, unique necklines like scoop necks and V-necks, off-the-shoulder styles, and trendy sleeves such as ringers and the “boyfriend” sleeve (a slightly longer sleeve), and even drapey dolman sleeves were all other character features she mentioned.
Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel, Hauppauge, N.Y., pointed to new colors and textures in tri-blends as a hot trend. He explained that, traditionally, tri-blends come in basic colors like gray and charcoal. Now, “fun colors” (e.g., purples, blues, reds, greens and orange) are being added to the tri-blends. And as for the new textures?
“A tri-blend that we have added to our line is the Tri-Blend Pepper,” he said. “It’s a tri-blend yarn, but it also has little black nubs all over the fabric. We offer it in a couple of styles and it’s been doing really well,” Mayeri remarked. “We have another tri-blend called Confetti that is all different colored nubs on the fabric,―all different reds and blues and orange and yellow.”
Neon is a big trend Crow sees carrying over into 2013. She also noted the new popularity of loose, flowing fashion T-shirts for women versus the fitted fashion tees on the market for the past five years.
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
Tanks are the perfect companion piece for T-shirts. Need some proof? Layering is one of today’s top fashion trends.
“T-shirts and tanks used to get tucked away for the winter, [but] they are now out all year long as a layering piece,” said Nichols. “When the outer layering piece stands out, what do you need as the under-layer? Something basic. Something simple. Tees and tanks fill that niche,” she said.
Of course, sometimes tanks and tees work better as stand-alone pieces. Nichols noted that when bottoms such as print skirts, plaid shorts or styled pants become fashion statements, the classic tee or tank can finish off the look.
IF THE SHIRT FITS
As fashion evolves, comfort and versatility gain more ground. As a result, T-shirts and tanks are becoming a regular staple in wardrobes for all age groups. That doesn’t mean, however, that every T-shirt and tank can be sold the same way. Distributors must consider the most appropriate marketing strategy based on the end-user.
Nichols insisted that the young contemporary styles have to be promoted differently. For example, they should be styled differently and shown on younger models. “These young buyers want to see themselves wearing the garment,” she said. “They also want to feel the hand of the garment before they buy. They are not concerned with spending a few extra dollars to make their shirt the ‘new favorite shirt’ in the drawer. Softness is that important to them.”
Crow offered an additional pointer: know what your buyer is interested in. She explained that the same burnout football tee can be sold to a concert promoter and to a cheerleading camp, but the message should be specific for these two groups. “To the concert promoter, it’s a cutting-edge fabric; to the cheerleading camp, it’s the team colors and athletic striping that make the sale. Taking the extra step to point out the benefits to each group will increase your sales,” she said.
LOGO PLACEMENT
If distributors need to know where to place a logo on a promotional piece, they must find out the objective, the market, the message and artwork. “What is the goal of the advertiser?” asked Nichols. “What does the logo look like? Sure, we could say to slap it on the front center, but perhaps a more subtle left chest design is better, or a band print at the bottom, or a diagonal print, or an all-over print or a sleeve imprint,” she said.
Mayeri agreed. “Always know where it’s going to end up and who your customers are so we can suggest the right style, the right color, the right embellishment and the right fabric because that really makes a big difference,” he advised.
