Ever iron a shirt and accidentally made a burn mark on it when you rushed to answer the door, which turned out to be some overzealous religious devotee? Well, if you did not, good for you. But if you happen to leave a burn mark from an iron on your shirt, don’t commit it to the garbage can. It might be considered fashion. How? Swiss-French luxury fashion house and “design collective,” Vetements, has just made it so. Whether it will truly become a fashion, only time will tell, but it will surely turn heads and get people talking.
This piece of men’s top, simply referred to as White Shirt, is a cotton poplin shirt featuring a classic collar, button placket, and a patch pocket with an embroidered logo on the chest—and home to the talk of the streets: a printed image of an iron burn mark. The scorch mark image is as realistic as it gets. It has a gradual tone of “burn” that fades toward the top and bottom, and it includes the unburn spots caused by steam holes near the edge, as well as tiny untouched dots in the center. Basically, it looks exactly like a real iron burn mark.
But why a burn mark from an iron? Beats me. Perhaps it exists purely to get people talking, which it clearly does. Balenciaga managed to make people look twice at everyday objects, and Vetements seems more than happy to embark on the same route.
Anyhoo, beyond the conversation-starting mark, the shirt also features a shirttail hem, buttoned square cuffs, and two pleats at the back yoke. It is made of 100% cotton and comes only in white. It does not come cheap. It costs a cool €750 (about US$810). Notwithstanding the price, it is selling out fast, with only a few pieces left. Then again, I have no idea how many it had in stock to begin with.
Images: Vetements.
Story via asiaone.