Creators of the coveted white t-shirt celebrating literary legend Charles Bukowksi’s century of influence are back with an iconic follow-up. The sublime silhouette, black in hue, is a unisex, oversized t-shirt, embellished with a vivid hand-drawn illustration of Mark Hanauer’s sensational ‘Hank’ portrait that graced the original drop. An accurate depiction of Bukowski’s effervescent spirit, the visuals on the t-shit have been etched using crayons, courtesy of co-founder Pranav Misra’s perpetual itch to create.
The holy grail for urban fashion aficionados, the jet-black tee adorned with graphics from one of Hank’s timeless poems, three-dimensional rubber detailing, and a polychromatic chalk-drawn aesthetic, holds true to its promise of being a one-time collectible. A wardrobe-staple for literature-stans and art-sluts alike, the t-shirt’s compellingly reasonable price point makes it possible for Individuals from every walk of life to rake in a taste of High-fashion.
Released globally on the 6th of September, 2020, the t-shirt’s snazzy front flaunts a palpable text inscription that reads ‘Love is a dog from hell’; a reference to Bukowski’s critically-acclaimed 70s anthology of the same name. Published in 1977, ‘Love is a dog from Hell’ is a candid, lyrical exploration of the bittersweet exigencies and limits of profound loving. Chinaski’s forthright tone and unfiltered opinions on love across the collection’s poetry struck a chord with readers worldwide, immortalizing him as one of the greatest contemporary writers of all time.
Quoted often around studio and cited zealously as a pivotal source of creative inspiration, Charles Bukowski’s literary genius can be found emblazoned on the t-shirt’s backside too. Eulogized in form of two elements, the first being his infamous boxer motif captioned ‘don’t try’ inscribed on top, while the second being an extract from his exalted poem ‘Dog’ that reads, ‘a single dog walking alone on a hot sidewalk of summer appears to have the power of ten thousand gods. Why is this?’
In view of the overwhelming applause the initial t-shirt drop garnered and the breakneck speed at which it sold out, the founders, Pranav and Shyma, launched the second installment in collaboration with hype-wear retail channels, Capsul and Vegnonveg. A novelty considering the ultra-exclusive nature of their usual drops, HUEMN partnered with the two retail giants to better cater the sky-high demand they accurately anticipated. From cinema heavyweights like Anurag Kashyap, sneakerhead Harshvardhan Kapoor, and social media icon, Santoshi Shetty, the t-shirt truly did find itself an audience among creatives across every realm the way it was intended to.
With only a limited number of t-shirts having been created, the second Tee from HUEMN too, akin to its predecessor, went out of stock within just a couple days from its launch. While this may sound upsetting to those looking forward to coping it, there’s good news to look forward to. The 9th of March, Summer 2021 will witness the onset of the third and final chapter, a larger-than-life conclusion to the HUEMN x Bukowski series.
Tune in to their website for more information on future drops and releases
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