As quarantine continues to drag on, many industries remain temporarily sidelined. In the creative world, collective angst has grown as artists and designers yearn to hop back on the expressive saddle. Recently, LA-based stylist and creative Keyla Marquez found an opportunity to give back while providing the art/design community a much-needed outlet to create.
The White T-Shirt Project is a collaborative effort in which 36 creatives across multiple disciplines reinterpret the classic white tee. 100% of the proceeds from the project benefit families affected by COVID-19.
Participants each received white T-shirts made of recycled material donated by several brands, including Everybody World. There were no set guidelines or parameters. Instead, creatives from California, New York and Mexico were given free rein to portray the tee however they wanted.
The final product is a comprehensive collection of 1/1 tees featuring a wide range of styles that showcase the diverse talents of the artists and brand owners involved. Marquez’s goal for the project was to bring people together in a time of duress and create a support system to give back.
The concept of the campaign was derived from Marquez’s upbringing in El Salvador during a civil war.
“My life was greatly impacted during this tumultuous time, but I also witnessed the coming together of my neighborhood in inspiring ways,” she tells Remezcla. “When the peak of violence had passed, we all came together in a display of peace—waving white flags, white blankets, white rags and, for me, a white T-shirt.”
Marquez parallels this idea of solidarity from her youth with the current worldwide crisis we are dealing with.
“This project is the outcome of my healing process and finding light in a moment when we were all forced to stay indoors and survive, and at the same time giving back to our community because everyone needs help and hope,” she says.
Marquez, a versatile creative, was able to produce the large scale project by tapping into her community of industry leaders behind labels such as Gypsy Sport, The Hundreds, Sanchez Kane and more. She then handled everything from photoshoots to shipping and all other production needs in order to pull off the project.
All shirts are currently available through the White T-Shirt project’s eBay page where consumers can bid on each garment. Proceeds go to the designer’s charity of choice.
The White T-Shirt Project auction is live through May 20. Check out the full collection and cop your favorite piece here.