Idylle: Like Funny, Like Artsy
The world of T-shirt graphics might be divided into several camps. One is cheeky humor, which inspired hundreds of T-shirt designers from Paul Frank to Tokidoki. Then there’s the serious-minded art graphics, which has served as a muse for other fashion companies such as RVCA. Can the gaps between these camps be bridged? Tyler Ramsey hopes so.
The 24-year-old Paso Robles, Calif.–based designer debuted his art label Idylle at the Pool trade show in August in Las Vegas. It followed some of the success of his humor line Minus Elmer. Young contemporary and streetwear boutique chain Metropark confirmed that it would test the humor T-shirts.
Scenes of trees growing wild in decaying buildings take front and center of Idylle’s T-shirts. The graphics are inspired by some of Ramsey’s hikes in the vineyards of Paso Robles in Central California. “You’ll see vines and roots breaking through the cement,” Ramsey said. “It’s beautiful and scary at the same time.”
There are 14 styles of Idylle and 15 styles of Minus Elmer, which include the “Tequila Mockingbird” humor T-shirts being tested by Metropark. The T-shirts are printed on form-fitting blank T-shirts produced by Article One in Santa Ana, Calif.
For more information, visit www.idylleclothing.com or call (805) 201-6253. —Andrew Asch
