Parody t-shirts: fan or foe?

[Aradia-Renee]

I saw a young woman wearing a Homiès, New York one yesterday. I get that it's a play on Hermès, Paris, but does Homies (or Homiès) actually mean anything?

yes it is a male BFF going back to 70s/early 80s. I fist heard in in about 1981. (I was 3 years old )

 

[fashion doctor]

I was in Urban Outfitters yesterday and saw a bunch of them. That's a popular store you can find them.
I've noticed that certain brands such as Obey seem to base their designs and logos off high-fashioned brands, and often seem to make a huge profit of them. One of Obey's most popular selling items were the sweaters with the logo that is clearly a knock off of the Gucci logo. What's a mystery to me is if its a mockery of the brand or not, like a middle finger to the wealth of the brand and its customers.

Good to know! I'll make sure to drop by Urban Outfitters this weekend. Thanks. And I like your interpretation and find interesting that you are unclear if an appropriation of a brand's logo is a mockery of that same brand, or not. I was assuming that they are because, I guess, I live in a city of hipsters and there is no lack of irony and pastiche here, but of course, there could be multiple interpretations and motives for creating and wearing them.

 

[seamnoir]

Fan! fan! fan! But only when rocked fashionably and not ignorantly trashy (i.e. not "getting" the parody). I wear them as if wearing the brand. I have one that reads: "Gangsta" with accents and "Love" underneath a la Celine. And I just bought one yesterday that reads: "Ballin" with "Paris" underneath a la Balmain. Examples in these colors:

fashionista

studentchiche blog

 

[Vicky Violet]

I like the Féline one, but only because I'm a crazy cat lady.

Otherwise, I think the "edgy" aspect of putting foul English on a t-shirt is obliterated by the fact that most people probably saw it on some blog, thought it looked cool and thought they'd look equally cool themselves if they'd buy said t-shirt, too. I mean, you need a certain 'tude to pull this off, I think.

 

[franki]

I don't really mind the parody t-shirts though I wonder if a lot of girls I see wearing them don't even realise that they're a play on the luxury houses names/logans/slogos.

What I DON'T get though are the millions of white 'celine paris' tees that I see everywhere.. blogs, online stores etc... (like this: http://wheretoget.it/look/81241).

am I missing something, because to me these are just blatant trademark infringements?

 

[fashion doctor]

I don't get it either. Perhaps seamnoir, who posted a "Celine Paris"example, can enlighten us?

 

[CommanderTMugler]

Depends on the shirt, if they're tongue in cheek I like them, I have one that says "Mugatu" from Zoolander

spreadshirt.com

I would like to get a "Versayce" one for the reference

michegoss.tumblr

I also have the "Team Ghesquiere" shirt from net-a-porter on my things to get

netaporter.com

 

[fashion doctor]

^I guess a Team Ghesquière would be more than appropriate today given his confirmed appointment at LV!

 

[AtticusFinch]

Though I would not wear them myself, I've always thought the "Ain't Laurent (without Yves)" was brilliant.

Who 'invented' them?

 

[seahorseinstripe]

i liked it at first until they overdo it