Styled to a T (Shirt)

You don’t need an interrobang at the end of a sentence asking if logos are back in style. The deafeningly declarative decoration is emblematic of street-style sultans hanging out by food trucks to Upper East Side Ladies Who Lunch alike. That gamut of style and taste will always spell out someone’s sartorial sensibilities in a subtle/not-so-subtle way. But aside from basic braggadocio, typography and logos add a dynamic graphic element to clothing and accessories that some people can read between the lines. At least you can be sure to leave one Ione word on everyone’s lips: “Wow.”

The classic utilization of typography of course begins with the monogram logo—though the monogram’s history can be traced back to its origins in Ancient Greece, for modern fashion studies we can look to one of the oldest still-thriving fashion houses for its widespread use: Louis Vuitton. Employed originally in 1888 as the phrase, "marque L. Vuitton déposée", (which roughly translates to the warning: "L. Vuitton is a registered trademark”), the distillation to “LV” soon signaled ownership not just of satchels and saddlebags but of status. Though these initials were initially meant to deter fraud, they have been the iconic vocabulary counterfeiters speak with the most—but you still must go to the real houses for the real deals.

Alongside Vuitton are the other leaders in letters, Chanel (the first “C” for Gabrielle’s nickname, “Coco”) and YSL (for Saint Laurent’s namesake, Yves) all of whom have their own unique, luxe typographical identities that decorate everything from handbags to halter tops.

Getting gritty with it sees luxury brands with street cred, with trendy tops and bangin’ bottoms in a print that now can be considered a staple: graffiti. Swathes of bright colors or grungy splatters evoke everything from the signatures (literally!) of downtown New York art perennial faves like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring to Dapper Dan and other doyennes of the hip-hop scene.

One iteration of this trend that sprung from fabric instead of paper is the classic graphic tee. Once home to cheeky slogans (and still a host to a host of them), the graphic tee has seen a glow-up with more sophisticated graphic design, higher-quality fabrics, and more mature subject matter. Though hints of childhood still pop up in more nostalgic fare, much to the delight of our inner child’s wardrobe wishes. You don’t always have to spell out how much you love fashion—but sometimes it’s nice to announce to the world in black and white bold letters how you define style. Period.