N.J. artist’s powerful Black History Month shirt is a bestseller at Old Navy
Grace Lynne Haynes
The Artist shared online on her Instagram proudly showing children smiling and wearing her design that she created for Black History Month.
The painted design shows a Black woman wearing a pink and purple outfit with puff sleeves dancing in front of a chartreuse moon. She stands in a pool of water while holding a bird with feathers of orange, yellow and blue. The shirt is a best seller at Old Navy the popular clothing store.
“It feels so surreal,” says Haynes, 30, a recent graduate of Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. The artist first drew attention when her paintings covered The New Yorker in 2020.
This is the Shirt Design by Grace Haynes
Haynes Design in Old Navy is a part of the Project We initiative, which spotlights the work of diverse artists.
“You spend a lot of time in your studio just making work and then to see it on such a huge platform and to see all the different people that are tagging me in their photos that are wearing the T-shirt, I think that’s my favorite part,” said Haynes.
Old Navy donated $500,000 to Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit organization that encourages retailers to partner with Black-owned businesses. The group’s mission statement: “Black people make up 15% of the US population. So, we asked businesses to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands.”
Haynes says the shirt design, which incorporates fashion and nature, is about movement and creating your own mythology. She likes the idea of her art being accessible to everyday people, not limited to a wealthy gallery audience. The shirt is currently on sale for $6 in toddler sizes and is 30% off for kids and adults ($10.99 to $14.99).