Tees to watch out for

October 9th, 2009 at 09:26am Ryan Darragh

So, overall it’s been a pretty good week.  As I shared earlier, Dragontat Zagato has stepped back into the SL fashion world with his new collection at Deserted.  And, oh by the way, he mentioned that he’s also reopening Brief Encounter this weekend, with new underwear designs and a Halloween collection!  So there’s that as well.  As if all this weren’t enough, at the Deserted opening shindig I got the chance to chat with Zabitan Assia—it had been way too long—and learned that he too has some new designs burning a creative hole in his inventory.  Like DT’s, Zab’s tees have long been among my favorites.  I love their dark, rich color palettes and the subtle intricacy of their design work, which is at least occasionally inspired by anime and manga.

Zab’s new tees have much in common with his earlier designs (a.k.a. The Classics), and that means there’s much to love.  Slinky fit, check.  Black is the new black, check.  Neat edging on collar and sleeves, ch—wait.  What the f—?  Hey, these shirts are jacked!  Seriously, look at ‘em, the edges are all torn up.  Is that just shoddy workmanship, lazy-ass stitching maybe, or did somebody use too much bleach?  No, no.  And no.  These shirts are not jacked.  They are tattered, though, intentionally and ever so stylishly, to add just a bit more low-end grunge to your high-end vibe.  See, there is a method to the madness.

So far there are five different torn-up designs.  “Rooted” is decorated with the branch-like spread of an underground root structure, metaphor for both nourishment and stability.  “Siamese” may be my personal favorite, with its ghostly twinned skeletons.  “Talons” has the dangerous air of a bird of prey on the hunt, beak as well as talons outstretched to rend and tear.  “Throne” features a figure of ethereal regality that may or may not be the Lord of the Underworld himself.  “Xoss” showcases an elaborate iron cross, winged as if in victorious flight.

All shirts feature artwork front and back.  Look closely and you’ll notice the occasional discreet FORM logo.  All are provided on all garment layers for maximum wear flexibility: tucked or untucked, over tats or under a jacket.  As for availability…well, I may have kinda effed up here, just a little bit.  I had it in my head these were out in the shop already, but when I dropped by to confirm (always a good idea), I didn’t see them in the new releases area, or anywhere in fact.  I typically don’t tease with stuff that’s not available yet, but dammit, I already did all the work, and this post is ready to go!  My bad for jumping the gun.  I chatted briefly with Zab Thursday night, and he says he hopes to release these sometime this weekend.  If not, we can all gang up on him (it’ll take all of us) and kick his ass.

Available (soon!) at FORM at The Block (Varado 148, 140, 31).

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Yes | Friends List: Yes

Notes: On Ryan: “Steve Law” skin by Khai Sinister (The Abyss). “Kein” hair by Shylah Honey (Damselfly). Desolate Jeans by Dragontat Zagato (Deserted). Low-top sneakers by Armin Rickena (Machienenwerk). Micanga (friendship bracelet) by noni Troncon (nonino).

Entry Filed under: Casual, FORM, Grunge, New Items, Shirts