Handsome and talented and funny Canadian/British gay designer Erdem has unveiled a limited-edition unisex t-shirt designed in collaboration with Gay’s The Word, the UK’s longest-standing LGBTQ+ bookshop, the one in Bloomsbury. This £75 carnation-themed t-shirt supports two significant charities, Not A Phase and akt, both dedicated to uplifting the trans+ and wider LGBTQ+ communities. Not A Phase is a trans-led grassroots organisation focusing on enhancing the lives of trans+ adults through awareness campaigns, social projects, and funding trans+ initiatives. Akt, meanwhile, is the only national charity providing vital support to LGBTQ+ young people aged 16 to 25 who are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. Profits from the sale of every t-shirt are fully donated to these causes.
The t-shirt’s white fabric features an elegant print of carnations in light blue, pink, and white – the colours of the Transgender Pride Flag – alongside a green carnation, which is of course a coded symbol of queer identity from the 19th century, famously embraced by Oscar Wilde.
Erdem Moralıoğlu, the brand’s founder and creative director, expressed his pride in the partnership, saying, ‘I am honoured to partner with two incredibly important charities, Not A Phase and akt, to help communities who need our support now more than ever.’ The t-shirt is available via Erdem’s online store, at their Mayfair boutique on South Audley Street, and physically at Gay’s The Word, which continues to serve as a crucial cultural and community hub for the LGBTQ+ community.
Established in 1979, Gay’s The Word stands not only as a retail space but also as a cultural HQ offering a vast collection of LGBTQ+ literature – from fiction and classics to poetry and young adult titles – alongside hosting community events like book launches, readings, and panel discussions. Its presence in the heart of London’s Bloomsbury has cemented the bookshop as a meeting space for the queer community, fostering both cultural celebration and activism.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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