As Women's History Month enters its last week, Brooklyn-born brother and sister design duo Jonathan & Jos Fouabi announced the release of their latest message-driven design, the Not Yours hat, dedicated to women & people with uteruses. The hat will be released via the apparel brand An Open Paradise Universal, on March 31, 2023, with 35% of all sales being donated to Ancient Song Doula Services of Brooklyn, New York.
The hat is one size fits all, but the message is not. With the intention of engaging dialogue, the duo designed a hat themed around reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, all with a signature New York grit. The front of the hat features a bold embroidered reinterpretation of the classic New York Yankee logo, with a stylized outline of the female reproductive system replacing the “Y”. The embroidered script lettering on the right temple clarifies what the letters stand for: Not Yours. This of course exists in a world where appearance is still policed, Roe v. Wade is overturned, and income & healthcare inequities continue to impact Black, Latino, Indigenous, trans, and nonbinary people.
"We wanted to create a piece that would spark conversations and encourage people to think about the importance of women’s rights over their own bodies," said Jos, apparel and graphic designer. "It’s important that women have the freedom to deal with their own individual situations. We have the obligation to use our platforms to promote causes we believe in; as a woman and a designer, that’s a non-negotiable for me."
“In a post-Roe v. Wade America, more than anything, this feels like a defiant symbol of strength for an under-served portion of our communities,” added Jonathan. “I hope that’s how it’s received. When it comes to design and art, you can lead with a vision, but then you relinquish control once it is released to the public. We didn’t want to just make another cool thing.”
35% of every sale will be donated to Ancient Song Doula Services of Brooklyn, New York. The organization provides support to people across a range of reproductive health choices or situations such as abortion, adoption, birth and postpartum, miscarriage, stillbirth, and grief support, with a focus on reproductive justice and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health.
In 2021, the U.S. had one of the worst rates of overall maternal mortality in the country's history at 32.2 out of every 100,000, with Black women accounting for 69.9 out of every 100,000 (via the CDC).
The Not Yours hat will be available for purchase on An Open Paradise's website on March 31st.