By Vittoria Vignolo
Have you seen the viral “Protect The Dolls” T-shirt on social media?
This Shirt, is a fundraising initiative created by Conner Ives, a London based fashion designer, who is renowned for his upcycled dress shirts, showcased in many fashion weeks. The purpose of this particular project is to support and advocate for Transgender women’s rights protection and security, in a time where they are constantly being put at risk by various governments.
This shirt was first seen at the finale of Ives’ show, during the 2025 London fashion week, and later on worn by multiple celebrities such as Troye Sivan, Alex Consani, Pedro Pascal and many others, during the famous music festival Coachella in April of 2025.
This Shirt is not only a fashion statement, but a political social call for change and advocacy towards the transgender community, particularly raising awareness on the political and juridical changes that are affecting the community at the moment.
All the funds earned from the sales benefited Trans Lifeline, a U.S. based nonprofit and trans-led organisation, which offers protection and emotional support for transgender people going through periods of crisis.
“Protect the dolls” originated from Black and Latino ballroom culture, where “doll” was used as a reference to transgender women of colour. The term is now used as a symbol of femininity, elegance and resistance.