We have all got our favourite old T-shirt which we have worn to death and which feels like it almost becomes a second skin. It may have some logo or great quote on it which appeals to you or which just makes you feel cool wearing it. 'Cool' in the best sense of the word, where you feel part of something, or you feel that the t-shirt says something about who you are or reflects your values.
Vintage t-shirts are covetable in this sense, mainly because they may have been worn by some famous person or someone we aspire to be, like the t-shirt John Lennon was wearing at some point in his over-scrutinised life or the t-shirt which symbolises some time in the recent past which we all wish we were part of.
No-one can buy the 'I Love Boxie' tshirt, but what you can do is call them up and tell them a story and then you receive a hand printed t-shirt with your own story, or your own 'one-liner', printed on the front.
Why would you want to buy into John Lennon's story by wearing the t-shirt he wore, when you can be wearing your own story on your t-shirt?
This is a great example of a clothing company taking the Web 2.0 principles and applying them to a clothing product - we all want to tell our story and share it, and formats like Facebook and Myspace are allowing us to do this. I love Boxie takes this idea off-line and into clothing production.
Also, everyone who has a T-shirt designed for them becomes part of the company - there are photos posted up of customers wearing their t-shirts and the ever-elusive Boxie keeps us engaged in the brand.
