Hebden Bridge Web

Wavy T-shirts help boost flood fund

Friday, 5 February 2016

The first batch of specially designed T-shirts inspired by one of rock music's most iconic record sleeves has sold out boosting flood relief funds.

As Steve Gittner of local architects, Gagarin Studio, was watching the flood water devastate homes and businesses along the Calder Valley he suddenly thought of the iconic sleeve art on Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures which features the wavy lines formed by radio waves from a pulsar.

So Steve got to work drawing his own version of the sleeve for a T-shirt based on the tidal waves that crashed through the valley with the slogan Unknown Weathers, and when he contacted the fundraising team at Trades Club they loved the idea too.

Steve Gittner said: "It was horrifying watching the floodwater wreak havoc along the valley but the community effort to rebuild again has been truly inspirational. After days of obsessing over river levels and pondering what else I could do to help, I came up with this idea which brought together my practice as an architect/designer and my love of music.

"When Pete Saville designed that Joy Division sleeve he created a timeless classic, and I wanted to do my own version that referenced his work, but more importantly added a high tide mark so people could see the scale of the disaster on the front of a T-shirt.

"But I was astonished at the response with the first batch of 150 selling out at the Mark Thomas fundraising gig and the record fair in aid of Muse Record Shop."

Local printers Calder Screens loved the concept so much they agreed to print the T-shirt at cost boosting the fund even further.

Trades Club Entertainment Manager Mal Campbell
with an Unknown Weathers T-shirt.

Trades Club Entertainment Manager Mal Campbell said: "Although we are doing lots of fundraisers we were looking for something that would live a bit longer than one night so when Steve approached us with this brilliant idea we knew we had it.

"It seemed obvious to turn his design into a T-shirt and the reaction from everyone who has seen it is that Steve has created something that is a subtle reminder of the scale of the disaster and how far our community has come since Boxing Day.

The T-shirts priced £12 will be available at Trades Club events