Statement t-shirts, from political messages to tongue-in-cheek slogans, were all the rage on the recent Spring 2017 catwalks – from Stella McCartney and Christian Dior to Marc Jacobs and House of Holland.
Melbourne fashion label The Hood, co-founded by twin sisters and mamas Natasha and Rachel Wells, has also jumped on one of the biggest trends of 2017, this time using the statement tee for good. The socially responsible, statement – tee specialists, who donate a gold coin from every garment sold to not-for-profit group, COPE, are using the current trend for slogan t-shirts to put kindness firmly back on the agenda.
In an era where it is easy to feel helpless to take a stand against hatred, on the back of global political uncertainty, the constant threat of terror, cyber hate and online bullying, The Hood is determined to empower people by encouraging them to put kindness first.
The ‘OK, BUT FIRST, KINDNESS’ t-shirt and tank is a wearable reminder that while we might feel like we can’t change the world, every single one of us can make a difference by showing kindness each and every day.
Crucially, The Hood hope their designs will go some way to helping stamp out cyber hate and online bullying, which is fast becoming a global epidemic. So much so, a United Nations envoy recently called for a “concerted effort” to eliminate bullying around the globe.
“If we look within our small circle of influence, to our children, friends and work colleagues, to the stranger we meet at the local café or connect with online; if we can ensure that we show kindness at every touch point, then you know what, we are making a difference in making the world a better place,” says The Hood co-founder, Natasha Wells.
The Melbourne-mamas chose to play on the popular ‘Ok, But First Coffee’ slogan to get their message across.
“Ok, But First Coffee’ is a statement that gets circulated a lot on social media, so we thought why not make ‘Ok, But First, Kindness’ part of the vernacular?” adds The Hood co-founder, Rachel Wells.
“Don’t get us wrong, we love coffee, but for us, kindness is far more important. So why not put it on a t-shirt, make a statement and try and make a difference,” Rachel says.
“This is our way of trying to fight back the wave of hatred and judgement, bullying and trolling by replacing it with small acts of kindness. As the saying goes, ‘No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” Natasha adds.
The Hood is a labour of love for twin sisters Natasha and Rachel Wells. Both are mothers – Natasha to three girls and Rachel to baby Jack. On becoming mothers, they quickly realised it was often something very simple that could be the difference between a good day and a tough one – a knowing nod from a stranger; a supportive text from a girlfriend; or an honest conversation with a fellow mum at the local park. Plus a hot coffee (or three).
The girls are using the trend for statement tees for good by putting their supportive and sometimes tongue-in-cheek messages on their signature range of t-shirts, tanks and sweaters. In doing this they feel that in some small way they have been able to spread some all-important kindness, while at the same time raising money for charity.
Among The Hood’s most popular designs are their You Got This and On Duty slogans, which were created for their launch collection and targeted specifically to encourage and inspire mums on the rollercoaster ride called motherhood.
The new Summer 17 collection features a range of ‘Gone Surfin’ tanks, for days when you’re dreaming of some much-needed downtime; and a This Girl Can tee – for women who back themselves wholeheartedly or need a wearable reminder of just what they can achieve when they put their mind to it.
A gold coin from every t-shirt or tank sold goes to COPE – Centre of Perinatal Excellence – to help improve the emotional wellbeing of new parents.
You can follow these awesome mamas on Instagram @thehood_store and buy their fabulous tee’s at thehood.net.au