People often fail to see how personal and intimate a t-shirt really is. The greater majority sees it merely as an article of clothing, no different than a pair of briefs. But these woven cotton threads do more than just cover you up – they introduce you to the world, they hold you at night like the lover you never had, and, most importantly, they’re your first impression to a world obsessed with appearances. People have protested and taken sides with the t-shirts covering their backs, the world has changed because enough people wore the right slogan, and The Beatles have been immortalised because someone printed their memory on a t-shirt. T-shirts are important.Our reverence for t-shirts is shared by UNTY Designs’ co-founder Omar Mobarek, who has poured his very heart and soul into every piece for the past three years, giving each a life of its own. His 8^th collection is the materialisation of his long-held values; “we wanted to elevate the design with this one. It’s a four t-shirt design collection inspired by the concept of rising above – you know here, you have the same people going to the same parties; they just kind of mingle with the rest and go with the tide and just settle,” Mobarek explains. “Or, they rise; they break out of the routine and do their own thing. That's what we're about.”
And so it was that Mobarek’s unyielding character took visual form on your t-shirt, but the illustrations encompass an even more intimate part of him: his memories. “I grew up in Southern California, next to the beach, next to the sun. The first thing I ever drew was a killer whale; I figured I’d use it!” he says. The end result: visually distinct fashion that stands the test of time and transcends trends. UNTY’s VIII collection is by far the greatest thing to have hit the street fashion scene this season. Unlike many in the industry, Mobarek’s designs are not some tabled pre-scheduled occurrence, it’s a spur of the moment – an outburst of emotions, thoughts, and notions that flair up and must immediately be manifested on a t-shirt.