Katharine E. Hamnett CBE (born August 16, 1947, in Gravesend, Kent) is a British fashion designer famous for his political t-shirts and ethical business philosophy.
Video Katharine Hamnett
Careers
Hamnett graduated from the Saint Martin School of Art and founded the clothing label Katharine E. Hamnett in 1979.
Media exposure
Hamnett's big t-shirts with great slogans, launched in 1983, were adopted by pop bands, including Wham !. George Michael wears a white "CHOOSE LIFE" t-shirt in the music video for "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." The t-shirt also appears in the Queen's video for "Hammer To Fall" (worn by Roger Taylor). Taylor wore Hamnett's Hamlet "WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW" during her historic appearance at the first edition of the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In 1984, Paul Morley of ZTT designed a series of "FRANKIE SAY..." T-shirts to promote the record label acting chart of Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH). Morley has stated that this design is consciously based on Hamnett's slogan t-shirt: "What persuaded me to read Katharine Hamnett said she wanted a shredded T-shirt, which reminded me of Mark P, saying she wanted Sniffin 'Glue
Models like Naomi Campbell have appeared in Hamnett's shirt with the slogan "USE CONDOM" and "PEACE."
Hamnett sees his shirt as a way to get his message across: "If you want to deliver a message there, you should print it in giant letters on the shirts." His first shirt featured the slogan "CHOOSE LIFE". Inspired by the Buddhist exhibition, it is a commentary on war, death and destruction. Hamnett has spoken several times against the use of slogans by prolife activists in the US. He wrote on his website: "It's not about the anti-abortion lobby, the US anti-abortion lobby is trying to CHOOSE LIFE We take it back and promote its true meaning Our rights are authentic and I believe in women's right to vote."
Beyond its own label, in 1984 Hamnett was involved in the creation of Ghost Sarne's label.
Maps Katharine Hamnett
Political activism
Started in 1989, with studies showing pesticide poisoning in cotton-producing areas, and sweatshop workers are a major part of the textile industry, Hamnett began lobbying for major changes in the way industries operate. After the disappointment with the results, Hamnett terminated most of his licensing arrangements, and in 2005 re-launched its line under a more stringent ethical guidelines, including manufacturing and agricultural practices.
At one point, Hamnett met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wearing his own shirt with the slogan "58% DO NOT WANT," a reference to a poll showing public opposition in the United Kingdom against the Pershing missile base in the country. In 2003, at a fashion show in London, Hamnett's catwalk model wore a T-shirt with "STOP WAR, BLAIR OUT", a reference to Iraq's looming invasion.
In 2008, Hamnett said that the fashion designer who participated in London Fashion Week was racist because of what he saw as an increase in black model exceptions, stating:
The catwalk is full of white dogs, cosmetics companies do not like black models - bitch racists. I do not know why when it was clear that black women are really much prettier than Caucasians, who obviously have short straws. Black girls have much better body shapes and that's embarrassing. I just think there must be a bit more balance.
In 2013, Hamnett designed two different T-shirts for the Nuclear Disarmament Campaign: "EDUCATION IS NOT INTELLIGENCE" and "NHS NOT TRIDENT". In addition to its commitment to anti-nuclear causes, Hamnett joins the 55th edition of Easter rally in Aldermaston, on April 1, 2013.
Hamnett is one of several celebrities who endorsed the nomination of Green Party MP Caroline Lucas in the 2015 general election.
Monsanto
In June 2014, Hamnett joins Nimrod Kamer to perform acrobatics outside Hackney Town Hall, which aims to make Wales Johnson Wales Pipe ban the Weedkiller Monsanto Roundup used in the region.
Awards and honor
Hamnett won the first British Fashion Award, and in 1996, was selected as the favorite British designer by the readers of Cosmopolitan . Hamnett was appointed Commander of the Royal Order of the United Kingdom (CBE) in the New Year 2011, to service to the fashion industry.
References
External links
- Katharine Hamnett's website
- Katharine Hamnett in Model Mode Directory
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments