It started out as an undergarment, worn under shirts. One of the first people to wear the t-shirt with nothing over it was Pablo Picasso. At that time, wearing only a t-shirt on your torso was like wearing long johns instead of pants. However, it was not Picasso that made the t-shirt an important part of youth culture. For many Europeans, their first contact with t-shirts were the American soldiers stationed in Europe after the end of World War II.

But most people today do not think of military green GI t-shirts when the word tee is mentioned. I the 60s and 70s, the first t-shirt prints where introduced. Tourist resorts and hotels put their logos on t-shirts, and these tees are still a big inspiration to fashion designers around the world. Another big inspiration were the band t-shirts, especially the heavy metal tees of the 80s.

Today, all fashion labels make printed t-shirts, and many of them collaborate with artists and designers. It is not unusual for a “boring” label to release limited edition tees designed by hip artists.