Brat Institute is a fashion, branding, and web design project inspired by my desire to own Pratt merchandise unlike anyone else’s.
In the Fall semester of my first year at Pratt, a few things happened:
I thrifted a Harvard University T-shirt because I liked the color and the cut of it. Much to my dismay, I learned wearing it in public meant that people would approach me to ask if I went to Harvard (I didn’t).
Pratt sent an email to the entire student body outlining the school’s visual identity guidelines, which included strict instructions on how the Pratt logo, colors, and typefaces could be used.
I really wanted to buy a Pratt shirt, but wasn’t sure if there was a place on campus to do this. When I asked around, I got conflicting answers - some said the Pratt merch store was in a secret basement under the cafeteria, while others said if there ever was a store to begin with, it had long been closed. Most people told me to just go on Amazon. I learned much later that the secret basement theory was correct.
Eager to represent my actual school (no offense to Harvard), I took matters into my own hands and patched together this monstrosity:
(The second ‘Harvard’ at the bottom is crossed out with Sharpie. I didn’t have any white fabric.)
The finished product was so crude and silly that it became my favorite shirt, and occasionally other students on campus would ask where I got it from and if I was selling any more. If they were just faking interest to bully me, I couldn’t tell. I made more items and set up a little online storefront to display them.
I also created a customizable logo for my new brand, Brat Institute.
