Freestyle: Illustrating Urban Fashion

Graphic tees have been around for decades now, representing aspects of our lives we are not afraid to share in public, from social and political affiliations to artistic and musical preferences, lifestyle pursuits or sense of humor. Freestyle focuses on one distinct style of this artwork on fashion: the simple line illustration. Whether representational or abstract, there is a looseness there, a studied playfulness which appeals to our sense of whimsy. Brands respond by commissioning some of the world's best artists to create graphics that speak to their consumers while exemplifying their graphic identities. Not limited to t-shirts, this survey includes sneakers, hats, glasses and bandanas as well that all display this casualness of form. von Sandu Publishing Co