Carly Cushnie, Diane von Furstenberg, Prabal Gurung, and Fe Noel all have vastly different design languages. But ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election, they're joining forces with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund to share the same message in wearable form: In a contentious race, voters are the ones who decide their futures.
Nine designers created limited-edition T-shirts reminding voters of their impact, available now via Planned Parenthood. Each one is unified by the message "We Decide"—a nod to the movement to restore access to abortion rights throughout the United States by electing Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, following the Supreme Court's controversial overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The call to reinstate reproductive freedoms is one that's applicable to Americans of all backgrounds. Designers including Fernando Garcia of Monse and Oscar de la Renta and Kim Shui of her eponymous label tapped into their unique points-of-view with each T-shirt, highlighting the "We decide" message with a nod to their individual identities. The overall effect is like a homemade protest sign with each creator's signature. Queer designer Willie Norris's black T-shirt with stark white print reminds anyone who reads it that "Queer and Trans People Decide." Prabal Gurung's shirt declares that "Immigrants Decide" in white, red, and black; Peshawn Bread's tee shouts that "Indigenous Peoples Decide" in a bubbly pink font inspired by the parfleche art style.
"This election, we need to vote to restore the rights that were taken away from us and rebuild what was broken," says Carly Cushnie, who created a white T-shirt with the message "Black Voters Decide" in a bold, printed font. "Black voters know what’s at stake in this election, and they know full well the power of the vote—one that had been long denied to them. WE will decide this election."
Prabal Gurung called the campaign an "inspiring and empowering movement. "It takes the notion of choice and democratizes it, which is how it should be, and is a reminder that we need to work together responsibly to maintain this right," he says.
Additional tees in the collection include a multicolor, illustrated "Women Decide" design by Diane von Furstenberg and a "WE Decide" shirt by Kenneth Cole with a handwritten effect. All nine designs retail for $45.
"There are few things more important at this moment in time than advocating for women and people who give birth to be able to make their own decisions about their personal health and wellbeing, making supporting the work that Planned Parenthood Action Fund does so essential," Emily Cole, EVP women's design at Kenneth Cole, says.
With fewer and fewer days until the election, these shirts are a way to get that vital message out—no matter who you are or how you dress.
