Stephanie Smith: This is what a feminist fashion campaign looks like ...

First a cheap shot at David Cameron for not wearing one of the T-shirts, so seeming to some to be a less than whole-hearted supporter of feminism. Next, random cheap shots at Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband for wearing the T-shirt but not looking as cool as Benedict Cumberbatch while doing so. Then a whole rat-at-at of shots targeted at those behind the campaign itself: women’s rights charity the Fawcett Society, which benefits from the T-shirt sales; Elle magazine, which aims in its December issue to shed negativity associated with the word “feminist” by showing that men are happy to support equal rights; and finally fashion retailer Whistles, which produced the T-shirts. All because of claims that it had been “uncovered” that the tees had been made in Mauritius by machinists paid 62p an hour. Cue photos of female machinists with the T-shirts, looking not very happy.

Whistles issued a statement confirming its commitment to products manufactured under “safe, fair and humane working conditions”, which is fair enough but this points to a pervading acceptance from the UK High Street that it’s only to be expected that clothes are made overseas in places where even the UK minimum wage would represent untold riches.

Anyway, these shots, including mine, may be cheap but the T-shirts are not. I would like to know why Whistles, the Fawcett Society and Elle all thought it okay to charge £45 for a plain T-shirt with a seven-word slogan? This seems exclusively steep (and, yes, I do think it is MUCH worse that you can also buy T-shirts for £2 on the High Street). It all suggests that this particular campaign was indeed aimed at well-meaning, label-conscious, middle-class stylistas, who probably need a sharp reality kick up their Whistles distressed skinny jeans (£95) far more than they need another cool new tee.

Still, £45 or not, there were no “feminist” T-shirts when I looked on the Whistles website yesterday, although you can go to the Fawcett Society website and buy another style of “This is what a feminist looks like” T-shirt for a very reasonable £15.

In a week highlighting the gender pay gap, with the depressing findings that women working full-time, in the UK, in 2014, earn on average £5,000 a year less than men, it’s perhaps trivial to go on about fashion tees. But the women in the UK and around the world who really need support, encouragement and representation to achieve equality don’t have the money for £45 T-shirts. Why not try reaching out with a more affordable message?

Twitter: @yorkshirefashQ