The Zen Of T-Shirt Design

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Not everyone loves illustrated graphic t-shirts, I can’t think why, but it’s true. I suppose it might all be part of a plan to live a simpler less cluttered life, sporting stylish modular and expressive abstract tees might constitute part of training to be a Zen master these days. Who knows, I know Tibetan monks wear Nikes these days? So get ready for a glimpse at a few labels that try to eschew the mainstream t-shirt graphic scene and focus purely on the calm trance-like shapes and patterns of the abstract t-shirt deign. Yes… The Zen of T-Shirt Design.

Kenzo Minami has to be one of my all-time favourite abstract artist/designers, he’s worked with some very big names such as Nike, MTV, Reebok and the Sci-Fi Channel. Murals, backdrops, graphic design, packaging and of course t-shirt design are just some of his talents. Here’s what he has to say about his astounding work. “It makes sense that I studied both philosophy and industrial design, one is ergonomics, the functioning of humans in a physical environment, and the other is the functioning of humans in the social and metaphysical environment. As much as they seem to be polar opposites, there is a place they can coexist and cooperate.”

Prism T-Shirt by Kenzo Minami

This incredible piece of t-shirt design comes at a price, not only is Kenzo Minami’s work very popular but it’s usually very expensive and hard to get hold of too. The beautiful Prism tee is available at Blackbird in black in a large size for $118.99 and this was reduced from an incredibly pricey $199! Not something I can afford but at least I can admire it from afar :/

Symbolika are old friends of Buy Tees, a French t-shirt label that’s heavily involved in meditation and trance. Their designs are sketched and then rendered in beautifully precise detail using CAD. Here’s one of my faves by Symbolika.

Time T-Shirt

Here’s what Symbolika have to say on the design… “a thirteen moon phase inside a flower of life grid with a skull and a foetus, representing the passage of time.” I think I’m having one of those 2001 moments, definitely worth wearing if you think you might be attaining Nirvahna in the near future (not the band btw but the transcendental state) then this is probably the t-shirt to wear. Before you sneer at my hippy ideals take a look at the back!

Wowzers. Anyway get this tee for €25 here.

Pattern and Shape t-shirts do exactly what it says in the logo, they create abstract pattern and shape tees for those looking for something simpler yet iconic. Check out this one:

Parallelogram T-Shirt

Definitely not a word to repeat quickly when you’re drunk, you’ll probably something similar when you see this tee. I’m sure that Pattern and Shape’s Parallelogram t-shirt could be used to test for 20/20 vision, or some form of mild psychosis, but I love it. It frazzles my brain, and unlike certain illicit substances, you pay once and can trip out forever. Lol. This superbly simple Andrio Abero t-shirt is available for $23 here.

Jiménez Jurado – Tijuana based designer and illustrator has a great style, I particularly like this tee for the girls available in Volcom‘s featured artists collection.

Foi Jiminez F.A Sheer T-Shirt

Volcom Sliders Jersey Tee

Nope this one has nothing to do with the awful 90s US TV series, loving the 80s pixelated graphic style, oh so retro. Cleverly the design is based on their logo – ooh sneaky. Volcom’s Sliders Jersey Tee is available for girls in XS-XL black for £16.42 here.

Rain Drops & Rhombuses T-Shirt

Here’s a cool tee by Plink Design, reminds me a little of the wallpaper we used to have in the 1970s, it was nice wallpaper, not at all cheap. Probably from Habitat. I miss that wallpaper. Get this superb abstract shirt for $20 in all sizes here.

Red Valentino Ribbon Bow Jersey T-Shirt

I was in two minds about including this tee, the thing is the embroidery is actually an abstract representation of embroidery, or at least that’s the theory from the part of my brain that can remember art college. It’s quirky and according to the nearest females of the species in my vicinity, “gorgeous!” Ah well, we’ll say this one crosses the boundaries of decorative and abstract, still, cute. Get the Red Valentino Ribbon Bow Jersey Tee at Net a Porter for a ridiculously whopping £85. Ouch.

Richard Altman is a designer that believes that “the closer we live our lives in harmony with our innate creative abilities, the happier, healthier and more productive we will become”. Who knows, he could be right, still his shirts are nice and jazzy.

Bipolar T-Shirt

Bipolar by Richard Altman (no relation to Robert I suppose?) is cool, crazy but cool… daddio. Get it for $22 here.

Two lovely isometric t-shirts from Babble Tees.

Isometric Green T-Shirt

Isometric Orange T-Shirt

Here are a few more to keep you going ;)

http://www.thegrandsocial.com.au/das-monk/t-shirts/mount-hexx—white

http://www.daviddavid.co.uk/t-shirt/index.html – London based fashion designer who makes a mint in Japan.

A Spongebob Tee …but a little bit Picasso too!