The stag’s position at the top of the British hierarchy of wildlife has made it a long-standing metaphor for those of kings and nobility. Furthermore, with a revery established over 1000 years ago by the Anglo-Saxons, the stag in our culture has often more generally symbolised majesty, power and a command for respect. Along with animals such as the lion or bear, the stag is one of the most popular symbols in European heraldry, appearing on no less than 1300 different coats of arms. It was only a matter of time then that we at GHOST-SPLY would add a 2024 entry to this long-standing revere of the animal.
What is often not known about the stag is the naming categories in relation to how many points are present on their antlers. 12, 14 and 16-pointers are usually the absolute maximum that frequent our countryside. These are referred to as Royals, Imperials and Monarchs respectively. The new design has been screen printed here in England on our new Spring/Summer blank; this time sporting a Monarch stag on the back. We set subtleties aside, opting for a large print and using the stark contrast of white on black. Hand-drawn by one of our own, the sketching is distinctive yet simple. It also has a carved-look as though one might find it etched into the bark of an Oak tree, marking the territory of some long-lost British tribe. Moving to the front of the t-shirt, you will see our classic script logo positioned on the left chest. Black is a new colour for GHOST-SPLY. Though we are proud of the browns, greens and blues of our previous drops, this one should make for easier pairing with the other pieces in your outfit.
Our previous design language has drawn inspiration from various corners of the natural world. We started in the deserts of Australia and went on to explore hiking culture, the North American wilderness and the significance of the campsite, wherever we as humans decided to put it. Now we have returned back home to the British countryside, opting for the unanimously recognisable symbol of the stag.