Right now I, you and anyone else who can’t speak Chinese has only one option when it comes to buying their absolutely amazing all-over print tees, and that’s their online store at www.sqy-t.com. Sure the prices are a little on the steep side, and yes no doubt the postage costs will be a pain, but if you really want to leap ahead of the crowd in the t-shirt fashion stakes then you have to check this label out.

I knwo little nothing about them bar the fact they have some of the best t-shirt designs out there at the moment. However I do know their sole stockist at present is based in China and runs an online store written in Chinese. Luckily SQY-T have their own online store in English and even more luckily they’ve costed their products in USA dollars as well as Chinese RMB. So you won’t need to live there to get ahead of the curve. There are quite a few collections on offer including Invisible Cities which is my personal favourite (even if there is only one tee in that collection so far), Doodles and Tribute to Chinese Heritage. Do check them all out though!

What’s really comforting about this label is that it’s yet another sign that art and creativity are ever so gently subverting the grip of communism on the country, not that I’m particularly pro-capitalist, I just know the more Chinese people who are allowed to express themselves the sooner  the Chinese government will have to loosen their vice-like grip over their people. Saying that I’ve heard the news today that Google finally made a stand against the Chinese government and their response is most likely yet more censorship, i.e banning Google from China. Sometimes it looks more like China takes one step forward and two steps back as far as the second cultural revolution is concerned. Still, art, including t-shirts, should help pave the way. even if it is only in some small way.

Don’t expect anything too controversial from SQY-T, their work is stunning, beautiful even, but right now, unlike many t-shirt designers across the globe, they aren’t free (as yet) to express all their thoughts and feelings through their art, but nevertheless it’s personally an exciting development to see Chinese urban fashion stepping up to the line to be counted. Check out these amazing tees…

Utopian Home T-Shirt

I love this tee, the Utopia Home t-shirt is described as a tribute to writer and journalist Italo Calvino, can’t quite see it myself, it is however a fantastic example of isometric pixel art. An absolutely obsessive amount of detail went into this design. I think it might just be the most creative tee I have featured so far. I really can’t get over the time it must have taken to design this piece. I’m sure it was designed as a vector but still all that detail, I can’t believe it. Absolutely stunning! Get what might be the best t-shirt on the market right now for $42 plus postage for men and women in all sizes.

Audience T-Shirt

So many people, so little time. I’ve heard natural optimists exclaim how life is a rush, I doubt they meant this kind exactly. An amazing all-over printed tee featuring a massive crowd at what is most likely a sports event, although in all honesty it could be anywhere. I’d have liked to have seen a t-shirt like this with a mass panic at the stock market. But who knows, that idea might be censored by the Chinese government for ruining confidence in the RMB. Still a cool tee all the same. Get this one for $42 for men and women in all sizes and a total of 6 styles.

Got Stuck T-Shirt

Hate traffic? Don’t we all? Celebrate the misery of modern life with this instant classic. The Got Stuck t-shirt uses all-over printing techniques to the fullest, and considering the inflated prices a lot of Western companies charge for all-over printed tees $42 doesn’t sound so bad. Although the shipping will sting you. For instance it costs a whacking great $24.11 shipping to the UK and USA. So, you’ll need to bear that in mind when buying any of their products. Still, would make a great b’day present hint hint :p Get the Got Stuck t-shirt for men (2 styles) S to XL and women (4 styles) S to L.

Check out the rest of SQY-T’s fabulous t-shirt collections at www.sqy-t.com.

Why doesn’t your nearest store stock SQY-T? Well, if I had the cash and the initiative I’d try to wangle a license for their designs, sell them across the USA, Europe, and even globally, then split the profits with them. I’m sure some enterprising t-shirt mogul out there is thinking exactly the same thing. We will have to wait and see if they do!

Damn that’s a nice store! I’ve heard of being at the right place at the right time but this is ridiculous. Some people have all the luck, but then again most of them make it themselves, now where’s that Chinese phrase book of mine?