John Pawson's Minimalist T-Shirt: The Ultimate Quest for Simplicity in Design

British designer John Pawson has created a minimalist white T-shirt, marking his first foray into clothing design, for the brand Slowform. Known for his minimalist architectural designs, Pawson aimed to bring his simple aesthetic to T-shirt design.

"Whether it's an entire building, a fork or indeed a T-shirt I am designing, for me it's all architecture," said Pawson. "I have approached this project as I would any other, in terms of reducing and paring away, in pursuit of the condition of minimum: the quality an object or space has when it is no longer possible to improve it by further subtraction."

With the aim of simplifying the garment, the oversized, plain white T-shirt was created from a single piece of material. A cross-shaped panel is folded with two arms of the cross becoming the front and back of the garment, and the others being folded to become the sleeves. This arrangement reduces the number of seams around the sleeves.

"The Panel T-shirt emerges from the folding of a single panel, eliminating unnecessary visible seams and producing a calm, uninterrupted surface," said Slowform founder Michael Savva. "Its oversized silhouette elevates everyday wear. Thoughtfully conceived, each aspect of the design speaks of quiet comfort and clarity."

The T-shirt is the first garment designed by Pawson, who, along with numerous architectural projects, has also designed minimalistic furniture, blankets, oil lanterns, and paints.

"The thought of designing some simple pieces of clothing is one that has recurred over the years," said Pawson. "With collaborative projects, timing is often a case of encountering the right creative partner. When I met the team from Slowform, I felt instantly comfortable that we share the same values and priorities."

Launched in London this year, Slowform commissioned Pawson to design the T-shirt to align with its aim of producing "essentials for a quiet existence."

"At Slowform, we recognised a fundamental shift in how we now live, with the home as the centre of our day rather than a place we simply return to," said Savva. "In partnership with John Pawson, the brief was to merge traditional ideas of clothing with architectural thinking in order to create an oversized T-shirt that holds its integrity throughout the entire arc of a day, whether at home or beyond. The result is a balance of refinement and versatility that allows for seamless transition through the different phases of daily life."