It's been more than well-documented, by this point, that I have a real hang-up when it comes to rock t-shirts. It's hard to imagine a more trivial thing to get all bent out of shape about, but c'est la guerre.
Regular readers may remember a post from a few months back about the nefarious Disney organization shamelessly appropriating the cover art of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures for Mickey Mouse t-shirt. Some failed to notice. Some people didn't care. Some people laughed about it. Some people got all hot and bothered about it. Some people probably threatened a lawsuit over it. Someone may have even lost their job over it (it being the t-shirt kerfuffle, not my post about it). In any case, Disney ended up yanking the t-shirt design from its shelves with all speed. I tried to find one at DisneyWorld back in February, but no dice.
In any case, after picking up my kids from school today, we walked by the Gap on Broadway and 8th Street, and I was stopped dead in my tracks by a t-shirt design hanging in the window. See if you can guess why....
When i got home I did a bit of searching online, and there it was. Here's what The Gap has to say about it:
"Shadowplay" is designed by Didier Gerardin from Nancy, France.
Didier Gerardin's ideas come from observing and writing about what's going on around him. His favorite piece of art in his home is a reproduction of Andy Warhol's "Zebra." Didier feels famous every time one of his designs gets printed on a tee.
Really, Gap? You're calling it "Shadowplay" (a Joy Division song, for those who might not know) but not even fleetingly referencing the origin of its design? Come on, now, people!
This isn't the first time I've gotten mad at the Gap for this sorta thing. Back in July of 2011, I got all pissed because The Gap were selling Rush t-shirts. As annoying as that was, at least Rush was getting properly cited.
Anyway, fuck the Gap.
Recent Comments