How This T-Shirt Collection Is Benefiting New York Restaurants and The Front Lines
Delivery and takeout orders aren’t cutting it financially for many restaurants in New York City and around the nation right now. While many local restaurants grapple with how to make ends meet in a world where dining in is no longer normal, two local New Yorkers decided to stop spectating the pandemic’s toll on the hospitality industry and start a campaign that could turn a profit for restaurants outside of their kitchens. So, they created This T-Shirt.
Founded by Dylan Hattem, chief executive officer of DS Projects, and Cassandra Aaron, strategy lead, This T-Shirt has not only raised over $100,000 for restaurants and eateries nationwide but it also built a tight-knit community of food lovers and makers from Harlem to Hawaii.
The campaign officially started five weeks ago, when Hattem and Aaron along with Samah Dada and Celine Yousefzadeh began partnering with Manhattan and Brooklyn-based restaurants to create a simple product with a big payoff: a white cotton tee. Keeping in mind that employees were already under a lot of pressure, Hattem and Aaron structured the campaign to require the least additional efforts from each individual restaurant to make the most possible money for all. To do this, This T-Shirt pools all of the money and equally distributes the profits across all the partner restaurants, a method that encourages community instead of competition. “With all of the shared challenges that everyone is experiencing, virtual togetherness and support are so important,” Aaron explained.
Within two weeks, the duo found a safely operating factory to print the tees and secured enough partners to launch their first collection, which included brunch go-tos like Good Thanks, Ruby’s Cafe, and King Street Baking Co. and local classics like Café Habana, Paper Daisy, and Osteria 57.
For art direction, Josh Greenstein took the lead on the initiative's call to action aesthetic. The campaign’s eye-catching and empathetic slogan, “Bought This T-Shirt And Stayed The F*** Home,” has even garnered the attention and following of foodie models like Meghan Roche and Karlie Kloss. “We wanted to do something that was unfiltered, engaging, something that was just relatable,” Hattem mused.
For This T-Shirt’s second drop collection, in addition to teaming up with new restaurants from Miami to Malibu, the project partnered with Feeding People and Frontlines Food to extend the relief to those most at-risk. “We wanted to spread the love across the U.S. and bring on a range of hospitality partners from small eateries to well-established more iconic restaurants,” Aaron explained. Her Name Was Carmen, Senia, Hu Kitchen, Palmar, Bi-Rite, The Flower Shop, Grand Central Market LA, and Broad Street Oyster Co, are just some of the partners featured in Drop 2.
After two successful collections, This T-Shirt quickly jumped into two collaborations with fellow New Yorkers Samuel Krost of Krost and twin sisters Samantha and Morgan Elias of The Vintage Twin to expand their COVID-19 relief campaign into the streetwear and sustainability spaces.
“Everything that we do, every product that we release, every collection is inspired by what’s happening in the world around us,” Krost explained of the synergy between his brand and This T-Shirt. In fact, Krost conceptualized his namesake streetwear brand in response to the March for Our Lives demonstration by making a point to stitch awareness and design together under the brand’s unifying message “Support Your Friends.”
Instead of fading into the darkness facing the fashion industry, the Krost team tapped into a new sense of enthusiasm, one that was spurred by the hope of being able to make a difference in their local community—and the fact that many kids were going hungry without daily meals provided by their now-closed public schools (especially as NYC is the largest public school district in the country) really hit home for Krost. So, the brand decided to donate all proceeds to the Food Bank of New York and make a product that would keep the need to practice safe social distancing top of mind, literally.
In collaboration with This T-Shirt, Krost created a hat capsule collection featuring handwritten embroidery styles that read “I Want 2 Hold Your Hand” and “C U In The New World,” two powerful plays on the hardships of the current climate and uncertainty of what’s to come. “We wanted the designs to highlight the importance of social distancing while also giving a glimpse of hope for the future,” Krost explained. All profits from sales of these items will be donated to the restaurant fund for Drop 2 and the Food Bank of New York.
Even though Krost is currently cooped up with his family outside of the city, he is feeling closer to his community than ever before. In lieu of planning pop-ups or parties, the brand is hosting biweekly virtual brainstorming sessions to connect with their followers. The intimate 40-minute open discussions cover a range of topics from mental health to business marketing giving Krost the opportunity to react to feedback and, perhaps more importantly, get personal with the Krost kids.
For This T-Shirt’s foray into sustainable fashion, The Vintage Twin was a natural fit. In honor of This T-Shirt’s nationwide restaurant partners, Samantha and Morgan Elias, the talented duo behind the trendsetting company, curated an Americana food-themed vintage collection. The online edit includes reworked t-shirts and sweatshirts that feature eateries and cities located across the country. Of course, the partnership kicked off on Earth Day, and 10 percent of each item sold went directly to This T-Shirt's fund with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting the Drop 2 restaurant partners.
“By buying something, you’re supporting our small retail business as well as hospitality businesses, which is a win-win for people who are able to spend money but don’t want to have to choose just one of the many important causes right now,” Samantha explained.
Not only did this special collaboration marry foodies and eco-conscious fashion lovers, but it also served as a new way to drive digital vintage shopping while The Vintage Twin’s stores are closed. “Unfortunately, most of the vintage retail industry relies solely on brick-and-mortar,” she explained, “So, those businesses don’t have any income right now and we have to hope that they’ll be able to re-open when this is over.”
In a world where standing six feet apart is the closest we can get to strangers, making new connections in the boundless digital world is tricky. Yet, extending a figurative helping hand to those suffering by supporting local restaurants and retailers goes a long way. "To everyone who spent their hard earned potentially dwindling funds to help support our community of restaurants and specifically Ernesto's, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," the Ernesto's team shared in an Instagram post. "We know this time isn't easy for anyone, but your contribution and desire to help is truly humbling."
During a time when customers matter most but from a distance, Hattem and Aaron created a shoppable way for restaurants to stay afloat on their following and a fund to continue to support them. With eatery headliners like Ernesto’s, Daises, and Regina’s Grocery already on their roster of restaurant partners and two major collaborations under their belt, the hunger for what This T-Shirt has in store next is real. Luckily, Drop 3 is set to launch on Monday, May 11th, with a whole new lineup of restaurants and merchandise to feast your eyes on.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
