Top Trompe L’oeil Tees at Koolto.com

Now, I’ve seen my fair share of trompe l’oeil t-shirts, most designers will take a stab at a few and then move on to another idea. However Koolto.com have taken the whole idea of ‘tricking the eye’ to the next level, and then some.

What surprises me most is just how effectively Koolto has managed to conceive their wide collection of surreal tees. If you’re not familiar with trompe l’oeil check out this page from Wikipedia which is bound to help you appreciate what the Italian design team behind the Koolto label have managed to incorporate in their range of modern, quirky and elusive urban street wear.

Essentially we’re talking illusionism, however Koolto’s designers have managed to avoid the usual faux-pas associated with illusionist print and fashion, they have for the main part taken the logical step of incorporating illusion you would expect, ties, buttons, necklaces, and so on. If someone had pitched this idea to me I doubt I’d have been too keen, but the results speak for themselves.

This one is my favourite by a long shot, in essence this is a case of form over function rather than through function, in some aspects it would have been as easy to merely sew the buttons on, but as a fashion statement Il Prete (The Priest) excels far beyond its initial concept, a work of art of such subtlety it takes a few moments to absorb the idea. The humility of design definitely seals the deal, transforming this t-shirt design into something with a simultaneous fake provenance and stylish grace. Superb.

The Bow Tie (Gala Black) T-Shirt couldn’t ooze more Italian style if it tried, another simple yet highly effective design that triggers off a heap of appropriated movie screen memories for me, I’d have called it ‘The Morning After The Night Before’ although that’s a bit of a mouthful I suppose. Suave, sophisticated, slick, it evokes the stylish lifestyles of the past, when all night parties would more likely involve champagne and supper clubs than Techno beats and class A drugs. Breakfast at Tiffany’s anyone?

The Siwili T-Shirt (Tail of the Fox) takes its influence from Native American art and crafts, the name stands for the intimate bond between humans and nature of which they are a part and the same. I’d like to see more of Koolto’s necklace design tees wrap right around the neck of their t-shirts to complete the illusionist effect, although it is still a rather effective design as are many in this particular range.

All of Koolto.com’s tees are made from 100% pure soft cotton t-shirts, wash resistant and beautifully finished. Their products meet the strictest manufacturing and commercial-ethical standards. Certified Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the major textile certification guaranteeing articles are not harmful for people or the environment. If you’re looking for smart, stylish and witty designs that stand out in the right way, you’ll find many more subtle and effective designs available at Koolto.com – the finest Italian T-Shirt design house online.