Here’s a list of the top t-shirt designers. I’m planning on doing a post about all of them with images of their work and a little more info about their style but that will take a while. Until then visit their sites and offer them jobs.
Jeff Finley
Horsebites
Derek Deal
Collision Theory
Edgillustrator
Godmachine
Herman
Frenden
Chris Rushing
Laurie Shipley
Rikki B
Tooth Juice
Yasly
Mathiole
Setup85
Skull w/hair
Sockmonkee
Killer Napkins
Corefolio
Edword
Ithew
Jeff Sheldon
Isaboa
Herky
Geoff May
Sittingduck
Jimmy Heartcore
Jonathan Kruse
October 13th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Hi Jon! Great website, absolutely love it. I really respect your willingness to openly share resources, experience, and advice from established people in the T-shirt trade with anyone looking to get started. Having worked in the clothing game for a decade, and made a living off of designing, producing, wholesaling, and retailing T-shirts, I can fully appreciate how rare it is that anyone wants to help anyone else get a leg up. My particular realm of T-shirtdom is what gets unfortunately lumped into the “streetwear” realm and I can fully appreciate it if that niche isn’t your cup of tea, but I do think the title of this list of designers ought to be more specific. I mean even if you don’t like streetwear, it’s hard to deny that people like Shawn Stussy, Erik Brunetti (FUCT), and Rick Klotz (Freshjive) pretty much lay the foundation for all independent American DIY T-shirt brands. When you say “Top T-shirt Designers” a long list of people like them come to mind, not to mention the likes of say, Kevin Lyons (Red Five, Natural Born, Stussy, and Urban Outfitters), Mike Giant (Upper Playground, FIFTY24SF, Famous Stars & Straps, and REBEL8), Sam Flores (Upper Playground, FIFTY24SF, and 12Grain), Grotesk (Upper Playground, Staple Design), and many, many more. They are all T-shirt designers/artists who transcend “streetwear” and have had designs available from a plethora of successful companies. Anyway, my point being, that shouldn’t the list on this page have a bit more of a specific title? It seems you are overlooking many, many established, world famous, and successful people in the T-shirt game otherwise…
Just a thought…maybe it’s just a matter of your personal taste, I don’t know.
Thanks, John
December 31st, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Jon, you have put together a very good site. I am also really impreseed with the information you have put together. Your post have a great deal of information that is really great for anyone at all. For newbies and even for those of us who have been doing this “t-shirt” thing for several years. keep up the great work!