Famous 1976 Farrah Fawcett Shirt Re-Released!
By Scott Fresener on May 01, 2012 with Comments 6
The shirt that started it all has been re-released!
Wow, has this industry changed. For those newbies and even some who think they are old timers, how many of you can remember the shirt on the left? Yes, I own an original Farrah Fawcett shirt circa 1976. In fact, back in 2002 Impressions Magazine was doing a 25th Anniversary issue and I can remember editor, Marcia Derryberry, calling me in a panic saying she had looked hi and low for a Farrah Fawcett shirt until someone said “Fresener has one.” This shirt appeared in that issue. I made her sign in blood that she would return the shirt.
The history lesson is this was “the shirt” that started things really cooking. Impressions Magazine was launched in 1977 (Bill Windsor where are you?), and between Impressions, the Farrah Fawcett shirt, and some very smart entrepreneurs, a real industry was born. In fact licensed products were a brand new novelty back then. I think the Farrah shirt taught corporate America there was gold in T-Shirts and merchandise.
UPDATE: Fast forward to today. Farrah Fawcett’s iconic one-piece red bathing suit pose is being re-issued onto a men’s T-shirt, with part of the proceeds going to the late icon’s Farrah Fawcett Foundation.
“Our mission is to carry out Farrah’s wishes by helping to fund cutting-edge research as well as to help people who are struggling with this disease [cancer] today,” says Farrah Fawcett Foundation President and close friend Alana Stewart. The T-shirt, which retails for $24, is available at all Urban Outfitters stores and also for purchase online at www.urbanoutfitters.com.
History of the Shirt
The image on the original shirt was called a “Litho” or litho heat transfer. (The new shirt is screen printed). These were the first real photorealistic shirt images. If you wanted KISS or any rock band of the day on a shirt, you had a heavy, rubbery litho transfer. No, screen printing photorealism on black shirts had not been “invented” then. I would LOVE to see comments on this and pictures of your old litho shirts. Chances are you have very little image left and a white solid block of plastisol on the shirt.
These were printed on heat transfer paper using standard offset/lithography printing methods with special cmyk inks. The image was then backed in white plastisol and the image was applied with a heat press. There were millions of these made where the image would wash off after the first wash cycle (not good). In fact, the heat transfer business killed itself around 1980 from bad transfers.
It is interesting that over the years litho transfers have come and gone. They were big again a few years ago when vintage/classic images were kicking in. They have now lost favor again beaten out by all-over prints.
But hey…. they will be back!
Filed Under: Events • Retro & History • Trends
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Scott, Yes this does bring back memories of days gone by. I remember a company called Solar Trans in New Jersey. They specialized in Glitter backed Litho transfers that were sold to t shirt shops across Mall America.
At that time, the glitter base cost about $50.00 per gallon. They were buying this stuff by the drum ($2750/drum), a semi load a month. Scott Barnes (I think that was his name) the owner of Solar Trans, told me they were printing so many transfers and were making so much money that didn’t even consider the cost of the ink in their costing of their business!
Scott eventually got out of the business and bought a bunch of shopping centers and other real estate. Wonder where he is today?
Mark – great memory! It was Scott Barnes and his wife (I think) was Penny. Those were the days of Lenny Levy and others and those guys put a lot of what they made up their nose. I remember being at the first ISS Show in London and Scott and Lenny were going to rent a plane and fly to Paris for the night because they had so much money. They all thought they could do no wrong and it would never end and both you and I know that is what gets you in trouble.
I have an [b]unused[/b] Farrah transfer stashed somewhere around here…
She was my favorite angel, along with the other ones.
Hey Scott!
What memories!!
I sold a ton of these designs. Bootlegged, weren’t they?
Although we are all opposed to illegal copyright use, ie. bootlegging,
that was a big part of the transfer business 30 years ago. Still, you are correct. Farrah was the one that really jump started this whole thing.
Best to you and Pat. Stay in touch.
Saw Lenny Levy years ago in a small print shop on Lincoln Blvd in LA…not like the Wild Side days. Remember the rodeo at the first ISS show…Bill was a promoter. Did lots of business with Solar Trans.
Stay in touch with Elliot Levinson that broke the Wild Cherry ladies lace tank in the late 70s and play golf occasionally with Isador.
Any more personalities?
Jim – you are really digging back. I was at the first ISS Show with Bill Windsor and there is probably only a handful of us left who remember those early days. Lenny Levy was a hoot……. or was it a “toot” back then. I have not seen Isador in a LONG time. I remember the first ISS London show when Scott Barnes and gang were all going to charter a plane to fly to Paris. The money was flowing. Thanks for the memories.