New_York_Magazine_-_March_16_2020

10

intelligencer

“mad people make the best stuff,” Jon

Grinspan, curator of political history at the

Smithsonian, tells me on March 10, as voters

in six states are going to the polls. Anti-

Establishment candidates inspire more

handmade paraphernalia, he explains, like

tees, hats, and beer koozies. This was true for

Bernie Sanders in 2016, and the offerings

have expanded this time around. Especially

now, there’s something by and for every kind

of Berner out there, whether you’re a Grate-

ful Dead fan, or feel the force of Baby Bernie

Yoda, or just find Sanders rendered as a cac-

tus kind of cute. One friend, feeling a sense

of urgency to show her support for Sanders

before voting in New York in April, bought a

rage against the machine T-shirt with

the senator’s face on it to tide her over until

her official Bernie x The Strokes one arrived

(it took almost a month).

Sonya Sombreuil, the artist and founder of

the L.A.-based clothing label Come Tees, who

created the rage against the machine shirt

earlier this year, describes herself as previ-

ously having a “lifelong aversion to main-

stream politics.” But she’s raised over $90,

in sales for the Sanders campaign so far, and

had to hire a lawyer to figure out how to

donate it legally. The tee started as a one-off

Christmas present for her boyfriend, who

works for the campaign. When she decided to

start selling them for $40 apiece on her web-

site, the model and proud Sanders supporter

Emily Ratajkowski was an early customer,

and they quickly rose to the top of the pile.

Will rage against the machine make

it into the Smithsonian alongside make

america great again? “While I still know

all the words to ‘Bombtrack,’ people in 2120

might be less familiar,” says Grinspan. ■

From the Cut:

Bernie Sanders

Is My Favorite Band

DIY merch-makers are still holding out hope.

By Emilia Petrarca

PHOTOGRAPHS: CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: @DIOSCURI.DAWNING/INSTAGRAM; @SALLY_INTHERAIN/INSTAGRAM; @NELLENAGACCEBER/INSTAGRAM; @JOVIANSYSTEM/INSTAGRAM; @GARAGESALE_ART/INSTAGRAM; @DYLANMAUSTIN/INSTAGRAM; @EMRATA/INSTAGRAM; @HEAVYSLIME/INSTAGRAM; @VICTORIA_BL

ADE/INSTAGRAM; @OZIMV/INSTAGRAM; @LIZ

ALIZ

O/INSTAGRAM; @PINKBIKERALPH/INSTAGRAM;@ITSMESTEVE3/INSTAGRAM;

@ROMESIXMIL

E/TWITTER; @LEAVESYOUBREATHLESS/INSTAG

RAM; @CA

TALINA.CLARK/INSTAGRAM; @RAHELESCANLAR/INSTAGRAM; @AAIOANN/INSTAGRAM;

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10

intelligencer

“madpeople make thebest stuff,”Jon

Grinspan,curatorofpoliticalhistoryat the

Smithsonian,tellsmeonMarch10,asvoters

insixstatesaregoingtothepolls.Anti-

Establishmentcandidatesinspire more

handmadeparaphernalia,heexplains,like

tees,hats,andbeerkoozies.Thiswastruefor

BernieSandersin2016,andtheofferings

haveexpandedthistimearound.Especially

now,there’s somethingbyandforeverykind

ofBerneroutthere,whetheryou’rea Grate-

fulDeadfan,orfeeltheforceofBabyBernie

Yoda,orjust findSandersrenderedasa cac-

tus kind of cute. One friend, feeling a sense

of urgency to show her support for Sanders

before voting in New York in April, bought a

rage against the machine T-shirt with

the senator’s face on it to tide her over until

her official Bernie x The Strokes one arrived

(it took almost a month).

SonyaSombreuil,theartistandfounderof

theL.A.-basedclothinglabelComeTees,who

createdtherageagainstthemachineshirt

earlierthisyear,describesherselfasprevi-

ouslyhavinga “lifelongaversiontomain-

streampolitics.” Butshe’s raisedover$90,

insalesfortheSanderscampaignsofar,and

hadtohirea lawyertofigureouthowto

donateit legally. Theteestartedasa one-off

Christmaspresentforherboyfriend,who

worksforthecampaign.Whenshedecidedto

start sellingthemfor$40apieceonherweb-

site,themodelandproudSanderssupporter

EmilyRatajkowskiwasanearlycustomer,

and they quickly rose to the top of the pile.

Will rage against the machine make

it into the Smithsonian alongside make

america great again? “While I still know

all the words to ‘Bombtrack,’ people in 2120

might be less familiar,” says Grinspan. ■

From the Cut:

Bernie Sanders

Is My Favorite Band

DIY merch-makers are still holding outhope.

By Emilia Petrarca