Brothers And Sisters and Folk Use Wearable Tech To Reinvent The Protest Slogan T-Shirt

Much loved London fashion brand Folk and creative agency Brothers and Sisters have collaborated to develop a world first piece of wearable tech, designed for one of the symbols of our turbulent times - the protest.

 

Named the Folk Protest Jacket, the garment was inspired by the slogan t-shirt, made famous by designers like Katherine Hamnett.

 

Unlike the slogan t-shirt, the Folk Protest Jacket comes with an in-built LED screen and hidden mini-keyboard that allows the wearer to spontaneously write any slogan and display it proudly on their chest, depending on what cause they’re fighting that day - from Trump to Brexit to nurses’ pay.

 

The jacket has the characteristic Folk qualities of subtle attention to detail and understated cool that makes the brand so loved by creative people.

 

The five prototypes have already been worn at assorted London and New York protests including the March of the Mummies protest for mothers who have been discriminated against at work since having a baby and the Trump Towers Anti-fascism protest against Trump and Pence.

 

Andy Fowler, Founder of London-based creative agency, Brothers and Sisters said of his collaboration with Folk Clothing on the Protest Jacket project, “Seeing people protesting against Trump one week, Brexit the next and for nurses’ pay the next made us realise the slogan t-shirt is obsolete. The world needed a more flexible way of expressing strong opinions. In future we hope the Folk Protest Jacket gives a voice to those who don’t have one.”

Cathal McAteer, Founder of Folk Clothing said, “With all the bad stuff going on in the world, there is so much shit we need to say. So we decided to get our heads together and do something about it. A simple bit of frustration channelled.”

The technology for ‘Folk Protest Jacket’ was developed by London-based designer Roland Ellis. Electronic engineering by Powers of Two, Jeff Gough and Alan Ambrose.

Folk founder, Cathal McAteer and Andy Fowler, founder of Brothers and Sisters will be unveiling the Folk Protest Jacket at a live interactive demonstration talk at Eurobest Festival this week (Thursday 30th, 10am Showcase Stage).

The prototypes will be auctioned for charity, but Folk/Brothers and Sisters will potentially be going into commercial production with the protest jacket in future and you can register your interest at folkprotestjacket.com