Fck The Cupcakes (FTC) launched in March this year with the mission for ‘less icing, more action’ to address casual misogyny in the creative industries, Government and society.
This week, FTC unveils its first major initiative as part of its plans to launch a much broader industry platform.
FTC announces three finalists in its gender-neutral casual wear campaign, beginning with t-shirts.
Don’t be fooled, they are not just t-shirts, they are conversation-starters designed to ignite discussion in the workplace. Created by some of the most talented women in the industry, the ‘Casual Misogyny’ range aims to act as a reminder for action on endemic workplace inequality all year round.
The designs had to meet the following criteria: something visually appealing that people would be proud to wear; a clear message that would speak to people, without too much interpretation required; and a variety of designs to give the collection breadth and something that could be worn by men or women.
“Our ambition is to have these pieces out in circulation among our peers in the industry, so our message is heard loud and clear 365 days of the year. We were looking for a gender-neutral t-shirt with a design so good, people would be confident wearing it in the workplace,” FTC founder and Innocean CEO, Jasmin Bedir, said.
“We got some wicked designs in which made it hard to decide on three finalists.”
The three finalists are:
Break the Glass Ceiling Submission by Alanna Rados, Senior Finished Artist and Designer.
Commenting on her design, Rados said: “This design is inspired by the notion of ‘tall poppy syndrome’ and breaking the glass ceiling/waterfall. I tried to express the importance of embracing the hard work that goes into rising to the top and once there, smashing through any barriers. I hope this inspires women to confidently grasp their inner poppy and exceed expectations.”
Be Too Much – Submission by Lucy Kough, Creative Director/Writer and Kate O’Donnell, Art Director/Designer at Now We Collide.
There concept is a twist on the classic phrase for a woman who acts like a man, that she is ‘Too much’. Here it is turned into a catch cry.
The pair said: “We got involved in this project because there are still so few women in top-level positions in our industry. How can we effect meaningful change through the power brands hold in society without a seat at the table? It’s time to stop playing musical chairs. We have a responsibility beyond our industry to drive meaningful change in the world.”
“Patriarchal systems suck but nothing can be a catalyst for cultural revolution like a walking billboard. Fashion has always been the armour of strong women everywhere. Let’s wear our hearts and minds on our sleeve now for the generations to come. Our exploration has seen us examine both sides – looking at things women would never say but also exploring how we can turn common vernacular around misogyny into positive and empowering statements.”
One Of the Girls – Submission by Carissa Jackson, Art Director at Ogilvy Brisbane.
Jackson said: “One of the girls – one for all the genders who have been excluded from being one of the boys, casually harassed by one of the boys or overlooked by the boys.”
The T-shirts are available for sale at https://www.fckthecupcakes.com/shop and all proceeds will be donated to a number of charities linked to FTC.
All the submissions can be viewed here: https://www.fckthecupcakes.com/submissions
Watch this space, the Casual Misogyny range is only the beginning of a more significant platform to create real and lasting change in the creative industries and beyond.
For more information or to get involved, visit:
https://www.fckthecupcakes.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fckthecupcakes/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fck-the-cupcakes/
